dowry

dowry
A term of several meanings, dependent upon the historical source, but not the same as the dower of the common law. The "dowry" of biblical times bore no resemblance to common-law' "dower," but was a gift made by the suitor to the father or other near relatives of the intended bride. A similar custom prevailed among the Greeks, but Aristotle states that it had come to be looked upon as a relic of barbarism in their ancestors, as it was virtually a purchase of their wives. Neither is it like the dower, called "dot" of the Roman law (or the "dot" still in France), which was the marriage portion which the wife brought to her husband, in land or money. The French "dot" (pronounced "doe"), with its attraction to foreign suitors of American heiresses, is the origin of the slang word "dough" for property. State ex rel. Corporation Com. v Dunn, 174 NC 679, 94 SE 481. See dotal property.

Ballentine's law dictionary. . 1998.

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  • DOWRY — (Heb. נְדֻנְיָה), the property a wife brings to her husband at marriage; the Yiddish equivalent, nadn, is from the same root. The custom of nedunyah became clearly defined and institutionalized only in the talmudic period. In biblical times,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • dowry — index endowment Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 dowry n. Money and property brought …   Law dictionary

  • dowry — dow‧ry [ˈdaʊəri ǁ ˈdaʊri] noun dowries PLURALFORM [countable] 1. FINANCE JOURNALISM money which is given by one company to a company it is trying to buy. The dowry is meant to encourage the second company to agree to the arrangement: • The… …   Financial and business terms

  • Dowry — Dow ry, n.; pl. {Dowries}. [Contr. from dowery; cf. LL. dotarium. See {Dower}.] 1. A gift; endowment. [Obs.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. The money, goods, or estate, which a woman brings to her husband in marriage; a bride s portion on her… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dowry — early 14c., from Anglo Fr. dowarie, O.Fr. doaire (late 13c.) dower, dowry, gift, from M.L. dotarium, from L. dotare to endow, portion, from dos (gen. dotis) marriage portion, from PIE *do ti (Cf. Skt. dadati, Gk. didonai, O.C.S. dati, Lith …   Etymology dictionary

  • dowry — ► NOUN (pl. dowries) ▪ property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. ORIGIN Old French dowarie, from Latin dotare endow (see DOWER(Cf. ↑dower)) …   English terms dictionary

  • dowry — [dou′rē] n. pl. dowries [ME douerie < Anglo Fr & OFr douarie: see DOWER] 1. the property that a woman brings to her husband at marriage: now chiefly historical or metaphorical 2. a natural talent, gift, or endowment 3. Archaic a widow s dower… …   English World dictionary

  • Dowry — A dowry (also known as trousseau or tocher or, in Latin, dos) is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage.[1][2] It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride s parents, and dower, which is property… …   Wikipedia

  • dowry — /dow ree/, n., pl. dowries. 1. Also, dower. the money, goods, or estate that a wife brings to her husband at marriage. 2. Archaic. a widow s dower. 3. a natural gift, endowment, talent, etc. Also, dowery. [1250 1300; ME dowerie < AF douarie < ML… …   Universalium

  • dowry — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ large, substantial ▪ small VERB + DOWRY ▪ give sb, pay (sb) ▪ have …   Collocations dictionary

  • Dowry — This unusual name is a developed form of the Old French douarie and does refer to money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage. The surname is found in the spellings of Dowry, Dowrey and the shortened forms of Dover, Dower,… …   Surnames reference

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