noun
feather
FEHTH-uh
noun
1
One of the light, branching structures covering a bird's body, used for flight and insulation.
"A single white feather drifted down onto the lawn."
"Peacocks display their long tail feathers to attract a mate."
verb
1
To turn an oar or propeller blade so its edge cuts through air or water with less resistance.
"The rower feathered the blades cleanly between strokes."
How to Use Feather
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe light, fluffy covering on a bird's body, or (as a verb) to angle a blade to cut through air/water smoothly.
Common pairings
light as a feather
feather in your cap
feather duster
Word Forms
feathered past tense, feathers plural, Feathers plural, feathers singular
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Etymology
From Old English feþer, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to fly" — related to Greek petomai ("to fly") and Latin penna ("feather").