Dotissa (q.d. a widow endowed, or that has a jointure), a title, or addition, applied to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and persons of high rank only.

Queen **DOWAGER**, is the widow of the king, and as such enjoys most of the privileges belonging to her as queen comfort: but it is not high treason to violate her chastity or conspire her death, because the succession is not endangered thereby; but no man can marry her without special license from the king, on pain of forfeiting his lands and goods. See Queen.