“[I]n one particular instance the wife may acquire a property in some of her husband’s goods: which shall remain to her after his death and not go to the executors. These are called her paraphernalia, which is a term borrowed from the civil law … signifying something over and above her dower.” 2 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 435–36 (1765).
paraphernalia
paraphernalia (par-[schwa]-f[schwa]r-nay-lee-[schwa]). Hist. Property that a wife was allowed to keep, in addition to her dowry, on the death of her husband.
