matins

M3A1T1I1N1S1
/ˈmætɪnz/

noun

Together with lauds, the earliest of the canonical hours; traditionally prayed at sunrise or earlier.

UncommonScrabble 8

Meanings

matins1

noun

alternative mattins

  1. Together with lauds, the earliest of the canonical hours; traditionally prayed at sunrise or earlier.

    This chant was sung in many cathedrals both at First Vespers and at Matins for Christmas Day. In Notre Dame and many other churches, however, it was only performed at First Vespers.

    2017, Edward H. Roesner, editor, Ars antiqua: Organum, Conductus, Motet, Routledge, →ISBN, page 43
  2. Morning prayers.

    The monk must arise when the matins ring, / The abbot may sleep to their chime; / But the yeoman must start when the bugles sing / ’Tis time, my hearts, ’tis time.

    1819, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], Tales of My Landlord, Third Series. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC

matins2

noun
  1. pluralplural of matin

Matins3

proper noun
  1. pluralplural of Matin

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe first canonical hour; at daybreak

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchmatines
  2. Middle Englishmatyns
  3. Englishmatins

From Middle English matyns, matynes, from Old French matines.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian утринна молитва
  • утринна молитва (utrinna molitva)morning prayers
Catalan matines
  • matinesearliest canonical hour
Czech matutinum
  • matutinummorning prayers
French matines
  • matinesearliest canonical hour
German Mette, Matutinen
  • Metteearliest canonical hour
  • Matutinenmorning prayers
Greek όρθρος, όρθρος
  • όρθρος (órthros)earliest canonical hour
  • όρθρος (órthros)morning prayers
Hungarian vigília, matutinum
  • vigíliaearliest canonical hour
  • matutinumearliest canonical hour
Italian mattutino
  • mattutinomorning prayers
Latin mātūtīnum, vigiliae
  • mātūtīnumearliest canonical hour
  • vigiliaeearliest canonical hour
Portuguese matinas, matutinos
  • matinasmorning prayers
  • matutinosmorning prayers
Russian у́треня, зау́треня
  • у́треня (útrenja)earliest canonical hour
  • зау́треня (zaútrenja)morning prayers
Spanish maitines, maitines
  • maitinesearliest canonical hour
  • maitinesmorning prayers
Swedish matutin, läsningsgudstjänst
  • matutinearliest canonical hour
  • läsningsgudstjänstearliest canonical hour

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

matins. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matins

MLA

“matins.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matins. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “matins,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matins.

Source: matins on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.