Bower
(cardgames.io/euchre/images/euchre-logo.png)
I used to play a lot of Euchre in college. A lot. Probably too much.
Definitely too much.
But I did learn to really appreciate the game. This post is not about the game itself (which can be found here: https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/euchre) but rather about the two highest trump cards in the game: the Right Bower and the Left Bower
Now, looking up the term "bower" in most dictionaries will return something along these definitions:
1 : an attractive dwelling or retreat
2 : a lady's private apartment in a medieval hall or castle
3 : a shelter (as in a garden) made with tree boughs or vines twined together : ARBOR
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bower?utm_email=79381810c687e6418a4686559f5f941e9d4f3dd19ff4f06c98f6188c2d13f643)
(side note: I receive the merriam-webster 'word of the day' email, and today's was "bower", which was the impetus behind this post).
Nowhere in that definition is any hint of a trump card in a card game; yet, without doubt, the highest trump cards in the card game of Euchre are indeed called bowers. I always pictured them more as knights, or something with a sticky point with which to skewer people, much more than a tree. What on earth does a tree, or a private lady's apartment, have to do with a card game, anyway?
So on to research I go!
The term "bower" in the context of Euchre originates from the game's historical roots in the United States during the mid-19th century. The word "bower" itself has various meanings (a tree, vine, or private apartment to name a few), but in the context of Euchre, it refers to the two most powerful trump cards during game play.
The use of the term "bower" in Euchre likely stems from an earlier variation of the game called "Juker" or "Juckerspiel," which was popular among German immigrants in the United States. In Juker, the highest-ranking card was the "Juker" or "Jucker," which was equivalent to the modern-day right bower. The term "Juker" possibly derived from the German word "Jucker" or "Juker," meaning "bauer" or "farmer," referring to the lower-ranking Jack card. Over time, "Juker" transformed into "bower," aligning with the imagery of a shelter or protective figure.
And there you have it.
What I Learned Today: No one really knows why the highest trump cards in Euchre are called bowers, but in most likelihood is due to the evolution of the English language from other languages.
(c) All images and photographs, unless otherwise specified, are created and owned by me.
(c) Victor Wiebe
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