dowry

noun

dow·​ry ˈdau̇(-ə)-rē 

plural dowries

1

law : the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage

cultures in which marriage rarely occurs without dowry or bride-price

2

: a natural talent or gift

Beauty should be the dowry of every man and woman, as invariably as sensation; but it is rare.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

3

archaic, law : dower sense 1

Examples of dowry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cameras followed them for milestone moments, including when David struggled to pay Annie's dowry in Thailand. —Kayla Grant, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025

This is no hostile takeover proposal — more like an actual proposal-proposal, with a really big dowry. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025

Experts found other oddities in the surrounding graves, including what may have been a young woman's dowry. —Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 16 Jan. 2025

Except that subsequent to the mark’s evisceration care of government (always government, people please wake up), dowries were erased too such that parents had no say in the matter. —John Tamny, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dowarie, from Anglo-French, alteration of dower, douaire — more at dower

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for dowry

• cowrie
• floury
• lourie
• maori

Kids Definition

dowry

noun

dow·​ry ˈdau̇(ə)r-ē 

plural dowries

: the property that a woman brings to her husband in marriage in some cultures