Hypertext Webster Gateway: "dowager"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Dowager \Dow"a*ger\, n. [OF. douagiere, fr. douage dower. See
{Dower}.]
1. (Eng. Law) A widow endowed, or having a jointure; a widow
who either enjoys a dower from her deceased husband, or
has property of her own brought by her to her husband on
marriage, and settled on her after his decease. --Blount.
--Burrill.
2. A title given in England to a widow, to distinguish her
from the wife of her husband's heir bearing the same name;
-- chiefly applied to widows of personages of rank.
With prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans.
--Tennyson.
{Queen dowager}, the widow of a king.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
dowager
n : a widow holding property received from her deceased husband
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