Dowager

Defined in 7 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1910), Kinney (1893), Black's (1891), Burrill (1850), Bouvier (1839)

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

A widow endowed; one who has a jointure. In England. A title or addition given to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and other noblemen, to distinguish them from the wives of the heir, who have a right to bear the title.

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

An endowed widow.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

A widow who is endowed or who has a jointure in lieu of dower. In England, this is a title or addition given to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and other noblemen, to distinguish them from the wives of the heirs, who have right to bear the title. 1 Bl. Comm. 224. Dowager-queen. the widow of the king. As such she enjoys most of the privileges belonging to her as queen consort. It is not treason to conspire her death or violate her chastity, because the succession to the crown is not thereby endangered. No man, however, can marry her without a special license from the sovereign, on pain of forfeiting his lands or goods. 1 Bl. Comm. 233.

A Law Dictionary and Glossary

George C. Kinney · 1893

In English law. A widow who jointure.

A Dictionary of Law

Henry Campbell Black · 1891

A widow whois endowed, or who has a jointure in heu of dower. In England, this is a title or addition given to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and other noblemen, todistinguish them from the wives

A New Law Dictionary and Glossary

Alexander M. Burrill · 1850

[L. Lat. dotata, dotissa.] In English law. A widow endowed, or who has a jointure. Blount. A widow who either enjoys a dower from her deceased husband, or who has property of her own brought by her to her husband on marriage, and settled on herself after his decease. Brande. A title given in England to a widow lady, to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir, having the same title. Brande. It is applied chiefly to the widows of princes, dukes and other personages of rank and title. Cowell. Blount. A queen dowager is the widow of the king. 1 Bl. Com. 223.

A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States

John Bouvier · 1839

A widow endowed; one who has a jointure. In England, this is a title or addition given to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and other noblemen. DOWER is the right of a woman ina third part of all the lands and tenements in fee simple, fee tail general, or as heir in special tail, of which her deceased husband was seised, either in deed or in law, at ‘any time during the coverture, and of which any issue she might have had, might by possibility have been heir. Lite § 36. Vide Estate in Dower. This is dower at common law. Besides, this in England there are three other species of dower now subsisting; namely, dower by custom, which is, where a widow becomes entitled toa certain portion of her husband’s lands in consequence of some local or particular custom: thus by the custom of gavel-kind, the widow is entitled to a moiety of all the lands and tenements, which her husband held by that tenure.

— Dower ad ostium ecclesta. when a man of full age comes to the church door to be married, after troth plighted, endows his wife of a certain portion of his lands.

— Dower ez assensu patris. only a species of dower ad ostium ecclesia, made when the husband’s father was alive, and the son, with his consent expressly given, endowed his wife, at the church door, of a certain part ef his father’s lands.