Matilda

English

Alternative forms

• Mathilda

Etymology

From Middle English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German Mahthilt, from Old High German maht, meht (“might”) + hild, hilta (“battle”); compare German Mechthild, Old English Mæþhild (“Matilda”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /məˈtɪldə/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Proper noun

Matilda

1. A female given name from the Germanic languages.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 13:

     But wondrously begotten, and begonne / By false illusion of a guilefull Spright, / On a faire Ladie Nonne, that whilome hight / Matilda, daughter to Pubidius, […]

   • 1844, George Payne Rainsford James, Rose D'Albret, Or, Troublous Times, a Romance, Harper, page 20:

     Countess of Laussitz - Matilda, too, by the mark! A good name, a marvellous good name, is not, Algernon? Musical, pretty, soft, smoothing, loveable. - - - many a fair prospect is spoiled by the mistake in the name. Call Matilda Joan, or Louisa Deborah, and you are ruined forever!

   • 1990, Alice Munro, Friend of My Youth, .Stories, →ISBN, page 187:

     At one time Joan invented other names for her. 'Matilda' brought to mind dingy curtains, gray tent flaps, a slack-skinned old woman. How about Sharon? Lilliane? Elizabeth? Then, Joan didn't know how, the name Matilda became transformed. It started shining like silver. The "il" in it was silver. But not metallic. In Joan's mind the name gleamed now like a fold of satin.

Derived terms

• Fort Matilda
• Matilda effect
• Matildine

Related terms

• variants: Maud, Maude, Maudie
• pet forms: Mattie, Matty, Tilda, Tillie, Tilly

Translations

Noun

Matilda (plural Matildas)

1. (UK, army, historical) Either of two British infantry tanks in use during World War II, the Infantry Tank Mark I or Infantry Tank Mark II.
2. (Australia, historical) A swag or bluey carried by a swagman or swagwoman.
   • 1895, “Waltzing Matilda”, Banjo Paterson (lyrics)‎:

     Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong,
     Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
     And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling,
     'Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda, with me.'

Synonyms

• (infantry tank): Matilda I, Matilda II

Faroese

Proper noun

Matilda f

1. a female given name

Usage notes

Matronymics

• son of Matilda: Matilduson
• daughter of Matilda: Matildudóttir

Declension

Finnish

Etymology

From English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑtildɑ/,
• Rhymes: -ɑtildɑ
• Syllabification^(key): Ma‧til‧da

Proper noun

Matilda

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Matilda

Declension

Related terms

• Tilda

Statistics

• Matilda is the 171^st most common female given name in Finland, belonging to 3,798 female individuals (and as a middle name to 18,229 more, making it more common as a middle name), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• Matilde

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German maht, meht (“might”) + hild, hilta (“battle”).

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Matilda f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Matilda

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmatiɫda/

Proper noun

Matilda f (genitive singular Matildy, nominative plural Matildy, declension pattern of žena)

1. a female given name

Declension

Further reading

• “Matilda”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maˈtilda/
• Rhymes: -ilda
• Syllabification: Ma‧til‧da

Proper noun

Matilda f

1. a female given name

Swedish

Alternative forms

• Mathilda

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

Matilda c (genitive Matildas)

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Matilda

Related terms

• Maud, Tilda, Tilde