plume🔊

(archaic, literary and poetic) A feather of a bird, especially a large or showy one used as a decoration.

(archaic, literary and poetic) A cluster of feathers worn as an ornament, especially on a helmet; a hackle.

(figurative) A token of honour or prowess; that on which one prides oneself; a prize or reward. +

The vane (flattened, web-like part) of a feather, especially when on a quill pen or the fletching of an arrow.

A small, slender moth of the family Pterophoridae.

Things resembling a feather.

A cloud formed by a dispersed substance fanning out or spreading.

An upward spray of mist or water.

(astronomy) An arc of glowing material (chiefly gases) erupting from the surface of a star.

(botany) A large and flexible panicle of an inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses.

(geology) An upwelling of abnormally hot molten material from the Earth's mantle which spreads sideways when it reaches the lithosphere.

(zoology) A body part resembling a feather.

The furry tail of certain dog breeds (such as the Samoyed) that curls over their backs or stands erect.

A feathery gill of some crustaceans and molluscs.

(also figurative) To adorn, cover, or furnish with feathers or plumes, or as if with feathers or plumes. +

Chiefly of a bird: to arrange and preen the feathers of, specifically in preparation for flight; hence (figurative), to prepare for (something).

(by extension) To congratulate (oneself) proudly, especially concerning something unimportant or when taking credit for another person's effort; to self-congratulate; to preen.

(archaic) To strip (a bird) of feathers; to pluck.

(by extension) To peel, to strip completely; to pillage; also, to deprive of power.

(falconry, obsolete) Of a hawk: to pluck the feathers from prey.

Of a dispersed substance such as dust or smoke: to fan out or spread in a cloud.