Several elegantly dressed dowagers were seated at the front during the charity gala.

dowagers 是名词 dowager 的复数形式。dowager 指"寡妇"，特指继承亡夫头衔或财产的贵族寡妇，通常带有尊贵的社会地位。这个词常用来形容年长、富有且地位显赫的妇人。