the first of the seven canonical hours, orig. recited between midnight and dawn, but often at daybreak, usually joined with lauds (matins is now called the Office of Readings)
b. Anglican Church
morning prayer
2. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
a morning song, esp. of birds
adjective
3.
of matins
4.
of morning
Derived forms
matinal (ˈmatinal)
adjective
Word origin
Early ME matyn < OFr matin, pl. matines < ML(Ec) matutinae (vigiliae), morning (watches) < L matutinus, of the morning, after Matuta, goddess of dawn: see mature