The New International Encyclopædia/Dowager

DOWAGER (OF. douagiere, from douage, dower, from douer, doer, Fr. douer, It., Lat. dotare, to endow, from Lat. dos, dower). A widow with a dower (q.v.). A title commonly applied only to the widows of persons of high rank. The Queen dowager in Great Britain, as the widow of the King, enjoys most of the privileges which belonged to her as Queen consort; but it is not high treason to conspire her death, because the succession to the crown is not thereby endangered.