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dowry

[ dou-ree ]
/ ˈdaʊ ri /
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noun, plural dow·ries.
Also dower. the money, goods, or estate that a wife brings to her husband at marriage.
Archaic. a widow's dower.
a natural gift, endowment, talent, etc.
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Also dow·er·y [dou-uh-ree, dou-ree] /ˈdaʊ ə ri, ˈdaʊ ri/ .

Origin of dowry

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dowerie, from Anglo-French douarie, from Medieval Latin dōtārium. See dot2, -ary
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dowry in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dowry

dowry
/ (ˈdaʊərɪ) /

noun plural -ries
the money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage
(esp formerly) a gift made by a man to his bride or her parents
Christianity a sum of money required on entering certain orders of nuns
a natural talent or gift
obsolete a widow's dower

Word Origin for dowry

C14: from Anglo-French douarie, from Medieval Latin dōtārium; see dower
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

Cultural definitions for dowry

dowry

Money, property, or material goods that a bride's family gives to the bridegroom or his family at the time of the wedding. In many cultures, the dowry not only helps to cement the relationship between the bride's and groom's families but also serves to reinforce traditional family roles and gender roles.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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