dowery
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. Property or money brought by a woman to her husband upon marriage: A dowery (also spelled dowry) is the wealth, assets, or property that a bride's family gives to the groom or his family as a condition of marriage.
Usage
- The word "dowery" is a historical and legal term. It is used to describe a traditional practice in various cultures.
- It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).
Examples
- Noun:
- Her family provided a substantial dowery of land and gold coins.
- The marriage contract specified the exact value of the dowery.
Advanced Usage
- "To bring a dowery": To provide a dowery as part of a marriage arrangement.
- The bride's family was expected to bring a dowery to secure the union.
- "Dowery system": Refers to the social and economic custom of providing doweries.
- Activists campaigned against the abuses of the dowery system.
Variants and Related Words
- Dowry (n): The more common modern spelling of "dowery," with identical meaning.
- Dower (n): A related but distinct legal term, often referring to the portion of a deceased husband's estate allotted to his widow for life.
- Bride price (n): A contrasting custom where the groom or his family pays wealth to the bride's family.
Synonyms
- Marriage portion
- Bride's portion
- Trousseau (though this more specifically refers to the clothes and personal possessions a bride brings)
Antonyms
- Bride price (payment from groom to bride's family)
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "A dowery of [abstract quality]": Used metaphorically to describe a non-material asset someone brings to a partnership.
- She came to the research team with a dowery of invaluable experience. (Figurative use)
Noun
- money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage