noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈdaʊədʒə/
Canada, General-American:/ˈdaʊəd͡ʒɚ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
A widow holding property or title derived from her late husband.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A reclusive dowager owned the pastures across the river, and her farmhands ran beef cattle on them.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The widow of the holder of a title (usually a member of the peerage or a baronet); used in combination with the title she held during her husband's lifetime.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
the Earl and Countess of Whiteacre, and the Earl's mother, the dowager Countess of Whiteacre
Sir George Sitwell, Bt. and Lady Sitwell, and Sir George's mother, the dowager Lady Sitwell
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any lady of dignified bearing, especially an older one.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A stately dowager entered the ballroom, and all eyes were upon her.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a widow holding property received from her deceased husband
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: widow, widow woman
History
Etymology
From Middle French douagere, douagiere, from douage (“dower”), from the verb douer (“to endow”), from Latin dōtō (“to endow”), from dōs (“dowry”).
Across languages
Translations
29 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
e ve
— widow
Arabic:
أرملة
— widow
Dutch:
douairière
— widow
Finnish:
perijätär
— widow
French:
douairière
— widow
Galician:
viúva herdeira
— widow
Galician:
rexente
— widow
German:
Witwe von Stand
— widow
Irish:
baintreach dhuair
— widow
Italian:
vedova
— widow
Norman:
douaithiéthe
— widow
Polish:
wdowa z tytułem po zmarłym mężu
— widow
Romanian:
văduvă
— widow
Russian:
вдо́вствующая
(vdóvstvujuščaja)
— widow
Russian:
вдова́
(vdová)
— widow
Spanish:
viuda
— widow
Chinese Mandarin:
貴婦 /贵妇
(guìfù)
— lady of dignified bearing
Dutch:
dame
— lady of dignified bearing
Finnish:
arvokas rouva
— lady of dignified bearing
French:
dame
— lady of dignified bearing
German:
Matrone
— lady of dignified bearing
Italian:
vedova nobile
— lady of dignified bearing
Polish:
majętna wdowa
— lady of dignified bearing
Polish:
matrona
— lady of dignified bearing
Russian:
да́ма
(dáma)
— lady of dignified bearing
Russian:
матро́на
(matróna)
— lady of dignified bearing
Serbo-Croatian:
матро́на
— lady of dignified bearing
Serbo-Croatian:
matróna
— lady of dignified bearing
