dowry

[ dou-ree ]

/ ˈdaʊ ri /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for dowry on Thesaurus.com

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.

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

Words nearby dowry

down with, downy, downy mildew, downy woodpecker, downzone, dowry, dowsabel, dowse, dowser, dowsing rod, Dowson

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use dowry in a sentence

After his father’s health deteriorated, Faruqui assumed still greater responsibilities—his three sisters had to be married, and weddings meant dowries.
How An Indian Stand Up Comic Found Himself Arrested for a Joke He Didn't Tell|Sonia Faleiro|February 10, 2021|Time
I found that these women often give consent to these marriages to escape poverty and the burden of dowry.
Three Women: Stories Of Indian Trafficked Brides|LGBTQ-Editor|October 5, 2020|No Straight News
Assam and West Bengal, meanwhile, are known as “source states” – localities struggling with poverty, the aftermath of natural disasters and the burden of the dowry system.
Three Women: Stories Of Indian Trafficked Brides|LGBTQ-Editor|October 5, 2020|No Straight News
Each successful hit contributes to a virtual “anti dowry fund.”
The Despicable Persistence of the Dowry in India|Nishita Jha|August 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Once the dowry has been cashed, there is no financial reason to keep the wife around.
Has Malala Become a Puppet of the West?|Nico Hines|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The woman is a commodity to make money—the dowry becomes a business transaction.
Has Malala Become a Puppet of the West?|Nico Hines|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The full document is quoted in a new book by Avi Raz, The Bride and the Dowry, complete with the typing errors I then made.
My Father's Peace Proposal|Raja Shehadeh|November 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The groom has to give the bride a dowry to make the contract valid, and that dowry is for her and her alone to use as she wishes.
Mohammad Was Not a Womanizer, and Other Common Misconceptions About Islam Debunked|Olga M. Davidson|September 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He tried to marry his daughter without a dowry to some man who was intoxicated with nobility.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
In 1838 he married the daughter of Moreau (de l'Oise), who brought him a very large dowry.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Give them a suitable dowry, take care of them, and speak to them always like a friend.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
This money she used as a dowry and it aided in consummating her marriage with Cerizet.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Her family—that of the bourgeoisie of Nancy—fooled Castanier about the size of her dowry and her "expectations."
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe

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.

dowry

Origin of dowry

Words nearby dowry

Words related to dowry

How to use dowry in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dowry

Word Origin for dowry

Cultural definitions for dowry