dower
Law. the portion of a deceased husband's real property allowed to his widow for her lifetime.
a natural gift or endowment.
Origin of dower
1Other words from dower
- dow·er·less, adjective
- un·dow·ered, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use dower in a sentence
She is dowerless and friendless, except her young brother and an old grandfather, who maybe sleeps in his grave by this time.
The Settlers | William H. G. KingstonPerhaps, too, he might expect murmurs at his choice of a dowerless princess from his vassals of the Tirol.
Two Penniless Princesses | Charlotte M. YongeDolokhov was a suitable and in some respects a brilliant match for the dowerless, orphan girl.
War and Peace | Leo TolstoyMr. Bragg was a fine match for a dowerless girl:—even for a (dowerless) Miss Cheffington.
That Unfortunate Marriage, Vol. 2(of 3) | Frances Eleanor TrollopeOne of these was the duty incumbent on a dowerless young lady to marry well.
That Unfortunate Marriage, Vol. 1(of 3) | Frances Eleanor Trollope
British Dictionary definitions for dower
/ (ˈdaʊə) /
the life interest in a part of her husband's estate allotted to a widow by law
an archaic word for dowry (def. 1)
a natural gift or talent
(tr) to endow
Origin of dower
1Derived forms of dower
- dowerless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse