两个单词均与婚姻财产有关。dower是指普通法上规定的丈夫去世后妻子继承丈夫生前拥有或占有的1/3的永赁地享有权利（life estate in fee)以维持其生计的权利，且其子女可继承此份产业，其为“亡夫遗产继承权”[1]。dowry则为“嫁妆”，指妻子的陪嫁[2]。尽管有个别词典及诗歌等将两词混用 [3] , 但目前多数英语原文法律词典均对两词作有明显区分 [4]。
[1] "The life estate in a man's real property to which his wife is entitled upon his death under common law and some state statues." Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J.D. Merriam
Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 151 , Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (1996).
[2] " Marriage goods which a wife brings to the marriage. " Cf. Daphne Dukelow, The Dictionary of Canadian Law, at p. 304，Thomson Professional Publishing Canada (1991) .
[3] Cf. James E. Clapp, Random House Webster's Dictionary of the Law, at p. 144, Random House (2000).
[4] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, A Dictionary of Modem Legal Usage, 2nd edition, at p. 296, Oxford University Press (1995).