Aigrettes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A decorative feather or plume often worn on a hat or headdress, typically symbolizing elegance or status
2. A type of ornamental crown or adornment made from feathers, commonly used in fashion or for ornamental purposes
3. Referring to the feathery tufts found on certain birds, particularly those valued for their beauty and used in accessories or costumes

Etymology: The plural "aigrettes" is simply the plural of "aigrette," a noun borrowed from French, where it means "egret." The French word is a diminutive of "aigron," a heron, which itself traces back to a Germanic source. So the same bird that wades through marshes gave its name to the plumes once fixed to fashionable hats. The connection makes sense once you know where those plumes came from. The long, lacy feathers that grew on herons and egrets during breeding season were prized for millinery, and the name passed from the birds to the ornaments made from them. English took the word from French, and "egret" and "aigrette" are doublets: two forms of one word that entered the language by different routes and ended up looking unlike each other.