plume

Plural: plumes

Noun

anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness
- "a plume of smoke"
- "grass with large plumes"
a feather or cluster of feathers worn as an ornament
the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
A feather of a bird, especially a large or showy one used as a decoration.
A cluster of feathers worn as an ornament, especially on a helmet; a hackle.
A token of honour or prowess; that on which one prides oneself; a prize or reward.
The vane (“flattened, web-like part”) of a feather, especially when on a quill pen or the fletching of an arrow.
Ellipsis of plume moth (“a small, slender moth of the family Pterophoridae”).
Things resembling a feather.
Things resembling a feather.
A cloud formed by a dispersed substance fanning out or spreading.
Things resembling a feather.
An upward spray of mist or water.
Things resembling a feather.
An arc of glowing material (chiefly gases) erupting from the surface of a star.
Things resembling a feather.
A large and flexible panicle of an inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses.
Things resembling a feather.
Ellipsis of mantle plume (“an upwelling of abnormally hot molten material from the Earth's mantle which spreads sideways when it reaches the lithosphere”).
Things resembling a feather.
A body part resembling a feather.
The furry tail of certain dog breeds (such as the Samoyed) that curls over their backs or stands erect.
Things resembling a feather.
A body part resembling a feather.
More fully gill plume: a feathery gill of some crustaceans and molluscs.

Verb

Verb Forms: plumed, pluming, plumes

To adorn with or arrange feathers; to preen oneself with pride.
rip off; ask an unreasonable price
be proud of
deck with a plume
- "a plumed helmet"
clean with one's bill
form a plume
dress or groom with elaborate care
To adorn, cover, or furnish with feathers or plumes, or as if with feathers or plumes.
Chiefly of a bird: to arrange and preen the feathers of, specifically in preparation for flight; hence (figurative), to prepare for (something).
To congratulate (oneself) proudly, especially concerning something unimportant or when taking credit for another person's effort; to self-congratulate; to preen.
To strip (a bird) of feathers; to pluck.
To strip (a bird) of feathers; to pluck.
To peel, to strip completely; to pillage; also, to deprive of power.
To strip (a bird) of feathers; to pluck.
Of a hawk: to pluck the feathers from prey.
Of a dispersed substance such as dust or smoke: to fan out or spread in a cloud.

Examples

After scoring a bingo, she would PLUME herself, enjoying her Words With Friends victory.
After the explosion, a plume of smoke could be seen in the sky for miles around.
He plumes himself on his skill.
Smoke plumed from his pipe, then slowly settled towards the floor.
The pollutant creates a contaminant plume within an aquifer.

Origin / Etymology

From Late Middle English plum, plume (“feather; plumage”), from Anglo-Norman plum, plume f and Middle French, Old French plume f, plome (“plumage; down used for stuffing pillows, etc.; pen, quill”) (modern French plume f (“feather; pen, quill; pen nib; (figurative) writer”)), and directly from its etymon Latin plūma f (“feather; plumage; down”) (compare Late Latin plūma f (“pen, quill”)), from Proto-Italic *plouksmā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *plewk- (“to fly; to flow; to run; to flap with hands; to splash”).
The English word is a doublet of pluma.

Synonyms

congratulate, dress, feather, fleece, gazump, hook, overcharge, pluck, plumage, preen, pride, primp, rob, soak, surcharge, feather in one's cap, fledge, unplume

Antonyms

undercharge

Scrabble Score: 9

plume: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
plume: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
plume: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

plume: valid Words With Friends Word