dowry

dowry
    n 1: money or property brought by a woman to her husband at
         marriage [syn: {dowry}, {dowery}, {dower}, {portion}]
    

Dowry \Dow"ry\ (dou"r[y^]), n.; pl. {Dowries} (dou"r[i^]z).
   [Contr. from dowery; cf. LL. dotarium. See {Dower}.]
   1. A gift; endowment. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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   2. The money, goods, or estate, which a woman brings to her
      husband in marriage; a bride's portion on her marriage.
      See Note under {Dower}. --Shak. Dryden.
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   3. A gift or presents for the bride, on espousal. See
      {Dower}.
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            Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give
            . . .; but give me the damsel to wife. --Gen. xxxiv.
                                                  12.
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Dowry
(mohar; i.e., price paid for a wife, Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17; 1
Sam. 18:25), a nuptial present; some gift, as a sum of money,
which the bridegroom offers to the father of his bride as a
satisfaction before he can receive her. Jacob had no dowry to
give for his wife, but he gave his services (Gen. 29:18; 30:20;
34:12).
    

42 Moby Thesaurus words for "dowry":
      ability, appanage, bump, caliber, capability, capacity, dot, dower,
      endowment, equipment, faculty, flair, forte, foundation, genius,
      gift, instinct, investment, jointure, legal jointure, long suit,
      makings, marriage portion, metier, natural endowment, natural gift,
      parts, portion, potential, power, powers, qualification,
      settlement, speciality, strong flair, strong point, talent,
      talents, the goods, the stuff, thirds, what it takes