Definition

1. Noun:

   • A life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband: A legal provision granting a widow the right to use a portion of her deceased husband's property for the remainder of her life.
   • Money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage: The portion of a bride's father's estate given to her husband upon marriage; a dowry.

2. Verb:

   • To furnish with an endowment: To provide with a gift of property, money, or a natural quality or talent.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Widow's Right):

  • The law ensured her dower, allowing her to remain in the family home after his death.
  • In medieval times, a dower was a crucial form of financial security for a widow.

• Noun (Dowry):

  • Her substantial dower included land and a significant sum of money.
  • The marriage contract specified the dower to be transferred to the groom's family.

• Verb:

  • She was dowered with a sharp intellect and a kind heart.
  • The estate was dowered to the university to fund scholarships.

Advanced Usage

• "Dower house": A house on a estate traditionally intended for the widow's use.

  • After the lord's death, the dowager countess moved to the dower house.

• "To be endowed with" (related concept): To be naturally provided with a quality or ability.

  • The region is dowered with abundant natural resources.

Variants and Related Words

• Dowager (n): A widow with a title or property derived from her late husband.

  • The dowager duchess presided over the ceremony.

• Dowry (n): Property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. (Often used synonymously with the second noun sense of dower, though dowry is more common in modern usage for this meaning).

  • The dowry was agreed upon by both families.

• Endow (v): To provide with a quality, ability, or asset. (The base verb related to dower).

  • The philanthropist endowed the museum with a new wing.

Synonyms

• Noun (Widow's Right): Jointure, widow's portion.
• Noun (Dowry): Marriage portion, dot (archaic).
• Verb: Endow, bestow, provide.

Related Phrases

• "Dower rights": The legal rights of a widow to her dower.
  • Her dower rights were protected by the court.

Idioms

• "To be well dowered": To possess a substantial dowry or to be richly endowed with qualities.
  • She was not only intelligent but also well dowered, making her a highly desirable match.

Noun

1. a life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband
2. money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage

Verb

1. furnish with an endowment
   • When she got married, she got dowered