plume

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See also: plumé and plūme

English

Etymology

Late Middle English, via Old French plume from Latin pluma (“down, feather”).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈpluːm/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːm

Noun

plume (plural plumes)

A soldier wearing a helmet with a plume. [3]
  1. A feather of a bird, especially a large or showy one.
    • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
      wings […] of many a coloured plume
    • 1764, Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto, I:
      The first thing that struck Manfred's eyes was a group of his servants endeavouring to raise something that appeared to him a mountain of sable plumes.
  2. The furry tail of certain dog breeds (e.g. Samoyed, Malteagle) that stands erect or curls over their backs.
  3. A cluster of feathers worn as an ornament, especially on a helmet.
  4. A token of honour or prowess; that on which one prides oneself; a prize or reward.
    • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
      ambitious to win from me some plume
  5. An area over which (or a space into which) a dispersed substance has spread or fanned out; a cloud.
    The pollutant creates a contaminant plume within an aquifer.
    After the explosion, a plume of smoke could be seen in the sky for miles around.
  6. An upward spray of water or mist.
  7. (geology) An upwelling of molten material from the Earth's mantle.
  8. (astronomy) An arc of glowing material erupting from the surface of a star.
  9. A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

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  1. (transitive) To preen and arrange the feathers of.
    • (Can we date this quote by Washington Irving and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      pluming her wings among the breezy bowers
  2. (transitive) To congratulate (oneself) proudly.
    He plumes himself on his skill.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of South to this entry?)
  3. To strip of feathers; to pluck; to strip; to pillage; also, to peel.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
  4. To adorn with feathers or plumes.
    • (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Farewell the plumed troop.
  5. To form a plume.
    Smoke plumed from his pipe then slowly settled towards the floor.
  6. To write; to pen.

Translations

French

plume (1)
plumes (3)

Etymology

From Old French plume, from Latin plūma.

Pronunciation

Noun

plume f (plural plumes)

  1. feather
  2. quill
  3. nib, the writing end of a fountain pen or a dip pen
  4. (dated) writer, penman

Derived terms

Descendants

  • English: plume
  • Rade: plim

Verb

plume

  1. inflection of plumer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative
    2. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    3. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin plūma.

Noun

plume f (plural plumis)

  1. plume, feather
    Synonym: pene

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *plūmā, from Latin prūnum.

Pronunciation

Noun

plūme f

  1. plum

Declension

Declension of plume (weak)
Case Singular Plural
nominative plūme plūman
accusative plūman plūman
genitive plūman plūmena
dative plūman plūmum

Derived terms

Old French

Etymology

From Latin plūma.

Noun

plume oblique singular, f (oblique plural plumes, nominative singular plume, nominative plural plumes)

  1. feather; plume

Descendants

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