Dower refers to

• A. Joint tenancy of husband and wife.
• B. A wife's life estate interest in her husband's property.
• C. A wife's homestead interest.
• D. A child's life estate interest in his or her parents' homestead.

Answer: (B)

Dower is the widow’s life estate in her husband’s real property. In traditional law, after a husband dies, his widow is entitled to a life interest in a portion of his real estate—historically about one-third in many places—to provide for her support during her remaining life. The exact share and rules can vary by jurisdiction, and today many states have replaced or supplemented dower with other protections, but the fundamental idea remains: the wife has a life estate in part of the husband’s property, not a joint ownership or a separate homestead right. This is why the statement describing a wife’s life estate interest in her husband’s property best captures what dower means. The other options describe different concepts—joint tenancy, homestead rights, or a child’s life estate in a home—which are not what dower refers to.