plume

[ ploom ]

/ plum /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR plume ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a feather.

a large, long, or conspicuous feather: the brilliant plume of a peacock.

a soft, fluffy feather: the plume of an egret.

any plumose part or formation.

a feather, a tuft of feathers, or some substitute, worn as an ornament, as on a hat, helmet, etc.

a feather or featherlike token of honor or distinction, especially one worn on a helmet.

plumage.

a vertically or longitudinally moving, rising, or expanding fluid body, as of smoke or water.

a visible pattern of smoke resulting from emissions from a stack, flue, or chimney.

Also called mantle plume. Geology. a deep-seated upwelling of magma within the earth's mantle. Compare diapir.

verb (used with object), plumed, plum·ing.

to furnish, cover, or adorn with plumes or feathers.

(of a bird) to preen (itself or its feathers).

to feel complacent satisfaction with (oneself); pride (oneself) (often followed by on or upon): She sat before the mirror, pluming herself upon her beauty.

Origin of plume

1350–1400; earlier plome, plume, Middle English plume < Middle French < Latin plūma soft feather (> Old English plūm-, in plūmfether downy feather)

OTHER WORDS FROM plume

plume·less, adjective plume·like, adjective re·plume, verb (used with object), re·plumed, re·plum·ing.

Words nearby plume

plumbism, plumbous, plumbous oxide, plumbum, plumcot, plume, plume moth, plume oneself, plumed, plumelet, plummer block

Example sentences from the Web for plume

Borgman has escaped through a tunnel, leaving a plume of smoke in his wake.

The Twisted Sadism of ‘Borgman’ |Alex Suskind |June 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Reprinted with the permission of Plume, a member of the Penguin Group.

Rick Moody: Why I Write |Rick Moody |February 1, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
As ocean currents head eastward across the Pacific, the plume is expected eventually to hit the West Coast of the United States.

Japanese Debris Plume From Tsunami Migrating Across Pacific Ocean |Daniel Stone |March 9, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Follow the path as the plume spreads and the ultimate destination becomes clear.

Japanese Debris Plume From Tsunami Migrating Across Pacific Ocean |Daniel Stone |March 9, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

The plume spread over 16 miles, suffocating many living things in its wake.

10 Bizarre Natural Disasters |The Daily Beast |June 1, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
He had crowned himself with the basin, and pulled his hair through it in the shape of a plume.

Cleg Kelly, Arab of the City |S. R. (Samuel Rutherford) Crockett
Plume de coq, that they reckoned at thirty-five, was beaten by Basilicate by two lengths.

Rene Mauperin |Edmond de Goncourt and Jules de Goncourt
The door slammed, and Mr. Driscoll puffed down the stairs leaving behind him a trail of language like a locomotive's plume.

The Walking Delegate |Leroy Scott
"I shall have to run down to Sandy again," said Byrne, to Plume.

An Apache Princess |Charles King
Soldiers, if my standard falls, look for the plume upon your king's helmet!

The Last Of The Barons, Complete |Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for plume

plume

/ (pluːm) /

noun

a feather, esp one that is large or ornamental

a feather or cluster of feathers worn esp formerly as a badge or ornament in a headband, hat, etc

biology any feathery part, such as the structure on certain fruits and seeds that aids dispersal by wind

something that resembles a plume a plume of smoke

a token or decoration of honour; prize

geology a rising column of hot, low viscosity material within the earth's mantle, which is believed to be responsible for linear oceanic island chains and flood basalts Also called: mantle plume

verb (tr)

to adorn or decorate with feathers or plumes

(of a bird) to clean or preen (itself or its feathers)

(foll by on or upon) to pride or congratulate (oneself)

Derived forms of plume

plumeless, adjective plumelike, adjective

Word Origin for plume

C14: from Old French, from Latin plūma downy feather

Scientific definitions for plume

plume

[ plōōm ]

A feather, especially a large one.

A body of magma that rises from the Earth's mantle into the crust.♦ If a plume rises to the Earth's surface, it erupts as lava. ♦ If it remains below the Earth's surface, it eventually solidifies into a body of rock known as a pluton.

An area in air, water, soil, or rock containing pollutants released from a single source. A plume often spreads in the environment due to the action of wind, currents, or gravity.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

plume

noun

verb (used with object), plumed, plum·ing.

Origin of plume

OTHER WORDS FROM plume

Words nearby plume

Example sentences from the Web for plume

British Dictionary definitions for plume

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of plume

Word Origin for plume

Scientific definitions for plume

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

plume

noun

verb (used with object), plumed, plum·ing.

Origin of plume

OTHER WORDS FROM plume

Words nearby plume

Words related to plume

Example sentences from the Web for plume

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for plume

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of plume

Word Origin for plume

Scientific definitions for plume

British Dictionary definitions for plume