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bower

1
[ bou-er ]
/ ˈbaʊ ər /
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noun
a leafy shelter or recess; arbor.
a rustic dwelling; cottage.
a lady's boudoir in a medieval castle.
verb (used with object)
to enclose in or as in a bower; embower.
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Origin of bower

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English bour, bur, bure “dwelling, shelter, bower,” Old English būr “dwelling, shelter, chamber”; cognate with Old Norse būr “pantry, storehouse,” German Bauer “cage, birdcage”; akin to neighbor

OTHER WORDS FROM bower

bow·er·like, adjective

Other definitions for bower (2 of 4)

bower2
[ bou-er ]
/ ˈbaʊ ər /

noun Nautical.
an anchor carried at a ship's bow.
Also called bower anchor.

Origin of bower

2
First recorded in 1645–55; bow3 + -er1

Other definitions for bower (3 of 4)

bower3
[ bou-er ]
/ ˈbaʊ ər /

noun
a person or thing that bows or bends.

Origin of bower

3
First recorded in 1590–1600; bow1 + -er1

Other definitions for bower (4 of 4)

bower4
[ boh-er ]
/ ˈboʊ ər /

noun Music.
a musician, as a violinist, who performs with a bow on a stringed instrument.

Origin of bower

4
First recorded in 1650–70; see origin at bow2, -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bower in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bower (1 of 3)

bower1
/ (ˈbaʊə) /

noun
a shady leafy shelter or recess, as in a wood or garden; arbour
literary a lady's bedroom or apartments, esp in a medieval castle; boudoir
literary a country cottage, esp one regarded as charming or picturesque

Derived forms of bower

bowery, adjective

Word Origin for bower

Old English būr dwelling; related to Old Norse būr pantry, Old High German būr dwelling

British Dictionary definitions for bower (2 of 3)

bower2
/ (ˈbaʊə) /

noun
nautical a vessel's bow anchor

Word Origin for bower

C18: from bow ³ + -er 1

British Dictionary definitions for bower (3 of 3)

bower3
/ (ˈbaʊə) /

noun
a jack in euchre and similar card games

Word Origin for bower

C19: from German Bauer peasant, jack (in cards)
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
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