Money, property, or goods that a woman's family gave to her husband's family when they married.
From Old French 'douaire' meaning widow's portion, from Latin 'dos' meaning gift or dowry. The practice dates back to Roman times and varied dramatically by culture and time period.
The dowry system is a fascinating window into how women were treated in history—the bride's family literally had to pay someone to take their daughter, making marriage a financial transaction rather than a romantic partnership. Some cultures still practice dowry today.
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