bower

noun (1)

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bow·er | \ ˈbau̇(-ə)r

Definition of bower

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : an attractive dwelling or retreat

2 : a lady's private apartment in a medieval hall or castle

3 : a shelter (as in a garden) made with tree boughs or vines twined together : arbor

bower

verb

bowered; bowering; bowers

Definition of bower (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: embower, enclose tree-bowered streets

bower

noun (2)

Definition of bower (Entry 3 of 3)

nautical : an anchor carried at the bow of a ship

Synonyms Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About bower

Did you know?

Bower derives from Old English būr, meaning "dwelling,"and was originally used of attractive homes or retreats, especially rustic cottages. In the Middle Ages, bower came to refer to a lady's personal hideaway within a medieval castle or hall—that is, her private apartment. The more familiar "arbor" sense combines the pastoral beauty of a rustic retreat with the privacy of a personal apartment. Although its tranquil modern meaning belies it, bower is distantly related to the far more roughshod bowery, which has historically been used as the name of a sleazy district in New York City. The Bowery got its name from a Dutch term for a dwelling or farm that shares a common ancestor with the terms that gave rise to "bower."