Английский Этимологический словарь - matriculate (v.)

- 1577, "to admit a student to a college by enrolling his name on the register," from M.L. *matriculare, from L.L. matricula "public register," dim. of matrix (gen. matricis) "list, roll," also "sources, womb," from L. matrix "breeding animal" (see matrix). The connection of meanings in the word seems to be via confusion of Gk. metra "womb," and an identical Gk. word meaning "register, lot." Evidently the same L. word was used to translate both.