兩個單詞均與婚姻財(cái)產(chǎn)有關(guān)。dower是指普通法上規(guī)定的丈夫去世后妻子繼承丈夫生前擁有或占有的1/3的永賃地享有權(quán)利（life estate in fee)以維持其生計(jì)的權(quán)利，且其子女可繼承此份產(chǎn)業(yè)，其為“亡夫遺產(chǎn)繼承權(quán)”[1]。dowry則為“嫁妝”，指妻子的陪嫁[2]。盡管有個別詞典及詩歌等將兩詞混用 [3] , 但目前多數(shù)英語原文法律詞典均對兩詞作有明顯區(qū)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).