The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dower \Dow"er\, n. [F. douaire, LL. dotarium, from L. dotare to
   endow, portion, fr. dos dower; akin to Gr. ? gift, and to L.
   dare to give. See 1st Date, and cf. Dot dowry,
   Dotation.]
   1. That with which one is gifted or endowed; endowment; gift.
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            How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower! --Sir J.
                                                  Davies.
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            Man in his primeval dower arrayed.    --Wordsworth.
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   2. The property with which a woman is endowed; especially:
      (a) That which a woman brings to a husband in marriage;
          dowry. [Obs.]
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                His wife brought in dower Cilicia's crown.
                                                  --Dryden.
      (b) (Law) That portion of the real estate of a man which
          his widow enjoys during her life, or to which a woman
          is entitled after the death of her husband.
          --Blackstone.
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   Note: Dower, in modern use, is and should be distinguished
         from dowry. The former is a provision for a widow on
         her husband's death; the latter is a bride's portion on
         her marriage. --Abbott.
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   Assignment of dower. See under Assignment.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

dower
    n 1: money or property brought by a woman to her husband at
         marriage [syn: dowry, dowery, dower, portion]
    2: a life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her
       husband
    v 1: furnish with an endowment; "When she got married, she got
         dowered" [syn: endow, dower]