Plumes

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /pluːmz/

Definitions

1. A series of soft, feather-like structures can signify beauty and grace while also representing identity in various traditions
2. A thin, curling mass of gas or vapor emerges into the air, evoking feelings of motion and lightness while serving decorative or functional purposes
3. Soft feathers found on birds that often serve for insulation or display ; a visible column of smoke, steam, or gas that extends upward from a source

Etymology: "Plumes" is simply the plural of "plume," and the singular comes from Latin "plūma," meaning feather or down. It reached English through Anglo-Norman "plume" and Old French "plome," entering in the later Middle Ages, so the core meaning has always been the feather itself. The verb is the more surprising branch. English took "plumer" from Anglo-Norman, meaning to cover with feathers, and that Latin root "plūmāre" could also mean to embroider with a feathery pattern. Later senses, such as stripping a bird of its feathers or preening them, came from a separate Late Middle English verb "plumen," which described a hawk plucking the feathers from its prey. The sense of proudly congratulating oneself, as in "plume oneself," grew out of that preening image. Both branches share a root meaning "to fly," traced back to a Proto-Indo-European word, which is why a feather and a flight of fancy are close cousins.

Synonyms: feathers, flares, smoke, clouds, tails