dowry

n. the money, land, or goods that a woman's family gives to the man she marries.

n. property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. While largely historical in Western contexts, it remains a significant legal and social practice in various cultures.

“In the past, a large dowry helped a woman find a wealthy husband.”

“The negotiations regarding the bride's dowry were handled with extreme care by the elders to ensure the financial security of the new couple.”

Formal

n. a natural ability or talent that you are born with.

n. a natural gift, talent, or endowment. This sense is largely literary and draws a metaphor between marriage gifts and nature's gifts.

“Her beautiful singing voice was a dowry from nature.”

“He possessed a rare intellectual dowry that allowed him to master complex languages with almost no formal instruction.”

Literary

n. a very large amount of something.

n. an informal designation for a large quantity or significant amount of something.

“The new job came with a dowry of extra benefits and a car.”

“The startup was acquired for a dowry of nearly fifty million dollars, surprising many industry analysts.”

Informal

v. to give a woman money or property for her marriage.

v. to provide or endow a woman with a dowry. This transitive verb is rarely encountered in modern spoken English.

“The king promised to dowry his daughters with lands from the north.”

“It was expected that the merchant would dowry his niece generously, given his lack of direct heirs.”

Archaic · Formal