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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

Words nearby bower

Bowell, bowel movement, Bowen, bowenite, Bowen's reaction series, bower, bowerbird, Bowers, bowery, bowfin, bow front

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

Words related to bower

alcove, arbor, gazebo, grove, thicket, cottage, summerhouse

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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