noun
Uncommon
dow
dow
Dow (noun) means Short for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a widely followed US stock market index. Example: “The Dow closed up 200 points on Friday.”
noun
1
Short for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a widely followed US stock market index.
"The Dow closed up 200 points on Friday."
How to use dow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common short name for the Dow Jones stock market index.
Common pairings
the Dow rose
the Dow fell
Dow Jones
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- dows
- Past tense
- dowed, dought
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ closed up 200 points on Friday.
Etymology
Came into English from Middle English douen, from Old English dugan, from Proto-West Germanic *dugan, from Proto-Germanic *duganą.
Frequently asked questions
What does “dow” mean?
The word “dow” means short for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a widely followed US stock market index. In plain terms, a common short name for the Dow Jones stock market index.
How do you pronounce “dow”?
“Dow” is pronounced dow (/daʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “dow” in a sentence?
Here is “dow” used in a sentence: “The Dow closed up 200 points on Friday.”
What part of speech is “dow”?
“Dow” is a noun.
Is “dow” a common word?
“Dow” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What does "the Dow" refer to when people talk about the stock market?
"The Dow" is short for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a widely followed US stock market index. It is commonly used as a quick reference point for how the broader American stock market is performing on a given day.
Is "the Dow" the same as the entire US stock market?
No, the Dow is only one index made up of a limited number of major companies, so it does not represent the whole US stock market. Other indexes, such as the S&P 500, are often cited alongside it for a fuller picture of market performance.
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