noun
dowry
DOW-ree/ˈdaʊri/
Money or property a bride brings to a marriage.
The bride brings coins, silver vessels, and linen into her new home as her dowry.
Etymology
Old French doaire meant both a marriage portion and a gift. This connects dowry with an endowment for marriage: money or property brought by the bride.
In context
While her husband administered these assets during their marriage, the contract explicitly stated that if she outlived him or if the marriage produced no children, the dowry would revert entirely to her.
More examples
- Her family gives her farmland as a dowry.
- The marriage agreement lists the contents of her dowry.
- In the novel, both sisters bring substantial dowries to their marriages.
Forms
dowry · dowries
Similar words
- marriage portion
- A more formal phrase for property provided as a dowry.