dower

[ dou-er ]

noun

1. Law. the portion of a deceased husband's real property allowed to his widow for her lifetime.
2. dowry ( def 1 ).
3. a natural gift or endowment.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with a dower or dowry.
2. to give as a dower or dowry.

dower

/ ˈdaʊə /

noun

1. the life interest in a part of her husband's estate allotted to a widow by law
2. See dowry
   an archaic word for dowry
3. a natural gift or talent

verb

1. tr to endow

Derived Forms

• ˈdowerless, adjective

Other Words From

• dower·less adjective
• un·dowered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dower¹

1250–1300; Middle English dowere < Old French do ( u ) aire < Medieval Latin dōtārium. See dot ², -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of dower¹

C14: from Old French douaire, from Medieval Latin dōtārium, from Latin dōs gift

Example Sentences

Neither is very old (Christmann is in his early 40s and Dower in his 30s), but Hjartarson is in no hurry.

From The Daily Beast

War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War by John W. Dower.

From The Daily Beast

Looking at the change from the vantage of peace, historian John Dower speaks for me when he says: “This war was madness.”

From The Daily Beast

In most states this interest or dower is paramount to the claims of her husband's creditors.

From Project Gutenberg

When her dower is in mortgaged land, she cannot get possession until the mortgage has been paid.

From Project Gutenberg

In other words she loses her dower whenever her husband has no estate from which her dower can be carved out.

From Project Gutenberg

Whenever a marriage can be set aside for some illegality, and is not, it will sustain her dower on his death.

From Project Gutenberg

If eager to get the most possible, she would reject the gift of money and claim her dower rights.

From Project Gutenberg