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

But by the 18th century the Republic of Venice was in decline, and some aristocratic families, though still noble in name, had lost much of their wealth and could not afford a substantial dowry. —Manuela Callari, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025

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

Boko Haram has advocated for the direct payment of the bride price to the bride, in line with more moderate scriptural interpretations that conclude that the dowry belongs to the woman. —Hilary Matfess, Foreign Affairs, 17 Aug. 2016

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

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