[dou-uh-jer] 
| 1. | a woman who holds some title or property from her deceased husband, esp. the widow of a king, duke, etc. (often used as an additional title to differentiate her from the wife of the present king, duke, etc.): a queen dowager; an empress dowager. |
| 2. | an elderly woman of stately dignity, esp. one of elevated social position: a wealthy dowager. |
| 3. | noting, pertaining to, or characteristic of a dowager: the dowager duchess; to prefer a dowager style of dress. |
| dow·a·ger (dou'ə-jər) n.
[Obsolete French douagière, from douage, dower, from douer, to endow, from Latin dōtāre, from dōs, dōt-, dowry; see dō- in Indo-European roots.] |
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