Doifca (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 consort: 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 licence from the king, on pain of forfeiting his lands and goods. See QUEEN.