What does "dower" mean?
The part of or interest in a deceased husband's property provided to his widow, usually in the form of a life estate.
Dower
/ˈdaʊ.əɹ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The part of or interest in a deceased husband's property provided to his widow, usually in the form of a life estate.
- Grammar: dower is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ability, accouter, appanage, appoint.
- Useful contrasts: deprive, disendow, no dower.
- Usage evidence: Beauty carries its dower in its face.
How to use "dower"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dower" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dower" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dower" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dower" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dower" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ability" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dower", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The part of or interest in a deceased husband's property provided to his widow, usually in the form of a life estate.
- 2 Alternative spelling of dougher. alt-of, alternative
- 3 a life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband wordnet
- 4 Property given by a groom to his bride or her family, at or before their wedding, in order to legitimize the marriage
"[…] how features are abroad, / I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,— / The jewel in my dower,—I would not wish / Any companion in the world but you […]"
- 5 money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 That with which one is gifted or endowed; endowment; gift. obsolete
"How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower!"
Verb
- 1 To give a dower or dowry to. transitive
"He had married a lady well educated and softly nurtured, but not dowered with worldly wealth."
- 2 furnish with an endowment wordnet
- 3 To endow. transitive
"It was nothing of this earth, but a piece of the great outside; and as such dowered with outside properties and obedient to outside laws."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"Beauty carries its dower in its face."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dower"?
Common synonyms include: ability, accouter, appanage, appoint, award, bequeath.
How do you use "dower" in a sentence?
Beauty carries its dower in its face.
How do you pronounce "dower"?
Pronounced /ˈdaʊ.əɹ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English dower, dowere, from Old French doeire, from Medieval Latin dōtārium, from Latin dōs. Doublet of dowry.
Etymology 2
From Middle English dower, equivalent to dough + -er