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
Ralph Waldo Emerson3
archaic, law
: dower sense 1
Examples of dowry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After the dowry is shown off, Henry informs the brothers that the Grants’ physician — and not the MacKenzie’s — will perform the exam.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 19 Sep. 2025
That world is where Downton's Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) comes from, once a young American heiress who married into the British aristocracy to help preserve the Downton estate with her dowry.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
The wealthiest filles were also given dowries of roughly fifty livres (about the equivalent of roughly $750 USD today) to entice them and to reassure their suitors of their suitability.
—Ann Foster, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025
The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowry
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Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 19 Sep. 2025
That world is where Downton's Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) comes from, once a young American heiress who married into the British aristocracy to help preserve the Downton estate with her dowry.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
The wealthiest filles were also given dowries of roughly fifty livres (about the equivalent of roughly $750 USD today) to entice them and to reassure their suitors of their suitability.
—Ann Foster, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025
The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dowry
Cite this Entry
“Dowry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dowry. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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dowry
noun
dow·ry
ˈdau̇(ə)r-ē
plural dowries
: the property that a woman brings to her husband in marriage in some cultures
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