dowry
Sign in to saveA dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage.
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A dowry is a payment—such as money, land, property, or livestock—that the bride's family gives to the groom or his family when they marry. It matters because this practice has significantly shaped family finances, women's economic status, and marriage customs across many cultures throughout history.
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Article
40 sectionsContents
- Definition
- Origins
- Historical practices
- Babylon
- Ancient Greece
- Roman Empire
- Indian subcontinent
- China
- Europe
- England
- Russia
- Romania
- The Americas
- Indigenous cultures
- Mexico
- New France
- United States
- Brazil
- Current practices
- India
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- Turkey
- Thailand
- Azerbaijan
- Tajikistan
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Bosnia
- Serbia
- Violence against women and international perspectives
- See also
- References
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage.
Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment by the groom, or his family, to the bride, or her family, dowry is the wealth transferred from the bride, or her family, to the groom, or his family. Similarly, dower is the property settled on the bride herself, by the groom at the time of marriage, and which remains under her ownership and control.