/ ˈdaʊədʒə(r); NAmE / noun
1.
a woman of high social rank who has a title from her dead husband :
the dowager Duchess of Norfolk
2.
( informal ) an impressive, usually rich, old woman
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from Old French douagiere , from douage dower, from douer endow, from Latin dotare endow, from dos , dot- dowry; related to dare give.