• IPA: /məˈtɪldə/

matilda (plural matildas)

1. (Australia) A bundle of possessions, often tied up in a sack; a swag.
   • 1906, A. B. Paterson, On The Road to Gundagai, The Old Bush Songs, Gutenberg eBook #10493 ↗,

     In a week the spree was over and the cheque was all knocked down, / So we shouldered our “Matildas,” and we turned our backs on town, / And the girls they stood a nobbler as we sadly said “Good bye,” / And we tramped from Lazy Harry’s, not five miles from Gundagai;

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

• IPA: /məˈtɪldə/

1. A female given name.
   • 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!

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

• French: Mathilde
• German: Mathilde, Mechthild
• Italian: Matilde
• Portuguese: Matilde, Matilda
• Russian: Мати́льда
• Spanish: Matilde

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.

• (infantry tank) Matilda I, Matilda II