Property or money that a woman brings to her husband at marriage, or in some contexts, the widow's share of her husband's estate.
From Middle English 'dower,' from Old French 'douaire,' from Latin 'dotarium' (relating to dowry), derived from 'dos' meaning 'gift' or 'dowry.'
Dower is the legal term for a widow's portion—typically one-third of her husband's estate—and was crucial protection for women in medieval times when they had few ways to support themselves independently.
From Old French doaire. A woman's inheritance or financial settlement upon marriage, institutionalizing her economic dependence on the marital union. Central to feudal property systems that denied women autonomous ownership.
Use only in historical/legal contexts. When discussing modern inheritance, use gender-neutral terms ('marital property', 'spousal settlement', 'inheritance') to avoid archaic dependency framing.
["dowry (if bride's contribution)","marital property settlement","spousal inheritance"]
Historically, control of dower gave some widows (especially of rank) significant economic leverage and property authority post-widowhood, challenging narratives of total female powerlessness.
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