matric

plural matrics

1. South AfricacountableuncountableThe final year of high school.First known use 20th c.
2. South AfricacountableuncountableSomeone in their final year of high school.First known use 20th c.

   Once, when some money disappeared […], it was Ben who took the cleaner under his wing and instituted inquiries which revealed a group of matric boys to be the culprits.

   1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage, published 1998, page 37

   Synonyms: senior

3. IrelandcountablehistoricalinformaluncountableAlternative letter-case form of Matric

1. not comparablemathematicsOf or pertaining to matrices.

   In other words, its controls are homeomorphic to the matric mathematics.

   1964 September, The Matrix and Tensor Quarterly, page 110

   2 more examples

   But throughout this book we look upon the matric algebras as our primary object;

   1939, Hermann Weyl, “Chapter 3: Matric algebras and group rings”, in The Classical Groups: Their Invariants and Representations

   […] the possibility of using matric methods to solve analysis and synthesis problems becomes apparent.

   1956, R. J. Kavanagh, “The application of matrix methods to multi-variable control systems”, in Journal of the Franklin Institute, volume 262

alternative matric

1. IrelandhistoricalinformaluncountableThe Matriculation Examination of the National University of Ireland (last held in 1992)

   As well as me failing the Matric, my lack of sophistication was the despair of my mother.

   1985, Mary Rose Callaghan, Confessions of a prodigal daughter, London: M. Boyars, →ISBN, page 28

   4 more examples

   Entrance […] is on the basis of the Matriculation Examination (Matric) of the National University of Ireland (N.U.I.) held in June and September each year. […] Passes in the Leaving Certificate (L. C.) in the requisite subjects, or in the General Certificate of Education, Northern Ireland, are accepted as equivalent to Matric.

   1964 Winter, J. P. MacHale, “Selection for Degree Purposes in U.C.D.”, in Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, volume 53, number 212, page 390

   She had sat the Leaving Cert over 3 weeks in June, the Matric over the first week in July and the College of Surgeons entrance exam in the second week in July.

   1989 October 6, Christina Murphy, “The Points Race: British option not always the easy one”, in The Irish Times, page 8

   to qualify for a grant you must have passed five subjects in the Leaving Cert […] Some students got their results in the matric and it is not recognised, so they lost their grant for that reason.

   1992 September 22, Christina Murphy, “The Points Race: Cumbersome grants system needs reform”, in The Irish Times, page 2

   Now, finally, in September 1934, I entered my Matric year. […] I had six subjects – English, Maths, Latin, French, History and Irish – and in most of them I was quite competent, with the exception of Irish, of which I knew nothing. I learned everything off by heart for the Matric Irish.

   2006, Máire MacSwiney Brugha, History's Daughter: A Memoir from the Only Child of Terence MacSwiney, Dublin: O'Brien, →ISBN, page 118