dowries

Variant of dowry

noun pl. dowries

  1. the property that a woman brings to her husband at marriage: now chiefly historical or metaphorical
  2. a natural talent, gift, or endowment
  3. Archaic a widow's dower
  4. Archaic a gift by a man to his bride

Origin: ME douerie < Anglo-Fr & OFr douarie: see dower

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
link/cite print suggestion box