'Dower' definitions:

Definition of 'dower'

From: WordNet
noun
Money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage [syn: dowry, dowery, dower, portion]
noun
A life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband
verb
Furnish with an endowment; "When she got married, she got dowered" [syn: endow, dower]

Definition of 'Dower'

From: GCIDE
  • Dower \Dow"er\, n. [F. douaire, LL. dotarium, from L. dotare to endow, portion, fr. dos dower; akin to Gr. ? gift, and to L. dare to give. See 1st Date, and cf. Dot dowry, Dotation.]
  • 1. That with which one is gifted or endowed; endowment; gift. [1913 Webster]
  • How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower! --Sir J. Davies. [1913 Webster]
  • Man in his primeval dower arrayed. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. The property with which a woman is endowed; especially: (a) That which a woman brings to a husband in marriage; dowry. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • His wife brought in dower Cilicia's crown. --Dryden. (b) (Law) That portion of the real estate of a man which his widow enjoys during her life, or to which a woman is entitled after the death of her husband. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Dower, in modern use, is and should be distinguished from dowry. The former is a provision for a widow on her husband's death; the latter is a bride's portion on her marriage. --Abbott. [1913 Webster]
  • Assignment of dower. See under Assignment. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'dower'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Dower'