dower
noun
UK/daʊəʳ/
US/daʊɚ/
Definitions of dower noun
- Countable
The portion of a deceased man's money and property that is legally allocated to his widow.
She was required to vacate the main estate and move into the dower house.
According to the law, she was entitled to a third of her husband's estate as her dower.
In that era, widows were commonly provided with a property as their dower.
- Countableold use
An archaic term for a dowry.