plume
1. A feather; especially, a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather. Wings . . . Of many a coloured plume. (milton)
2. (Science: zoology) An ornamental tuft of feathers.
3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling feathers. His high plume, that nodded o’er his head. (Dryden)
4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides himself; a prize or reward. Ambitious to win from me some plume.
5. (Science: botany) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses.
(Science: zoology) Plume bird, any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from new guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida (Ardea candidissima). Plume grass.
(Science: botany) An aromatic Australian tree (Atherosperma moschata), whose numerous carpels are tipped with long plumose persistent styles.
Origin: F, fr. L. Pluma. Cf. Fly.
1. To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of; to dress or prink. Pluming her wings among the breezy bowers. (W. Irving)
2. To strip of feathers; to pluck; to strip; to pillage; also, to peel.
3. To adorn with feathers or plumes. Farewell the plumed troop.
4. To pride; to vaunt; to boast; used reflexively; as, he plumes himself on his ski
527
ll.
(Science: medicine) Plumed adder, the California mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus). See Mountain quail, under Mountain.
Origin: Cf. F. Plumer to pluck, to strip, L. Plumare to cover with feathers.
Dictionary > Plume
You will also like...

Freshwater Ecology
Freshwater ecology focuses on the relations of aquatic organisms to their freshwater habitats. There are two forms of co..

Mammalian Ancestors
Mammals are a diverse group of organisms, where most of them develop their offspring within the uterus of the mother. Ov..

A Balanced Vitamin Diet – Vitamins A – K
A balanced diet is essential to a healthy organism. Insufficiency or too much of a particular element or compound, such ..

Plant Meristems and Growth
In plants, growth occurs in meristems, which are the site of repeated cell division of unspecialized cells. These cells ..

Animal Growth Hormones
Hormones are produced in the endocrine glands of animals. The pituitary gland and hypothalamus are the most impor..

Amphibians & Early Reptiles
Obtaining air outside an aquatic environment required species to acquire suitable adaptations, and this was the case of ..