Shuttlecocks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An object used in games like badminton, featuring a feathered or synthetic skirt attached to a cork base that flies through the air when hit
2. A projectile utilized in racquet sports, typically characterized by its design which includes a capped end and a collection of feathers or similar materials for aerodynamic stability
3. A device employed in sporting activities, designed to be struck by racquets; it consists of a rounded base and a skirt that enables it to glide efficiently through the air

Etymology: This is the plural of "shuttlecock," so the core story belongs to that base word. The "shuttle" half comes from the shuttle used in weaving, the boat-shaped tool that carries thread back and forth across a loom, which gave the word its sense of something moving rapidly to and fro. The "cock" half is a little more surprising: it refers to the shape of the feathers, which were imagined to resemble the plume of a male bird's tail. Put together, the name describes a object that darts back and forth in play, with a tuft that looks like a cock's tail.

Synonyms: birdies, shuttles