dow·er

(dou′ər)

1. Law

a. A spouse's legal entitlement, during his or her lifetime, to a share of a deceased spouse's real estate or other property.

b. The part or interest of a deceased man's real estate allotted by law to his widow for her lifetime.

2. A natural endowment or gift; a dowry.

tr.v. dow·ered, dow·er·ing, dow·ers

To give a dower to; endow.

[Middle English douere, from Old French douaire, from Medieval Latin dōtārium, dōārium, from Latin dōs, dōt-, dowry; see dō- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

dowered - supplied with a dower or dowry

endowed - provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature); "a well-endowed college"; "endowed with good eyesight"; "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights"

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References in classic literature

Mademoiselle de Montalais, of a half noble family, not only would be dowered, but would ennoble Malicorne.

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But with me it was different; life came to me full-handed and dowered me with all my faculties and powers.

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It was fortunate for his daughter that she had been dowered with a little practical ability from her mother's family, but if Lorenzo had never done anything else in the world, he might have glorified himself that he had prevented Rebecca from being all Sawyer.

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