noun

quill

kwihl

Quill (noun) means the hollow central shaft of a bird's feather. Example: “The quill of the feather was surprisingly stiff.”

noun

The hollow central shaft of a bird's feather.

"The quill of the feather was surprisingly stiff."

A pen made from a large feather, historically used for writing.

"The letter was written with a quill dipped in ink."

One of the sharp, barbed spines on a porcupine or hedgehog.

"The dog came home with a muzzle full of porcupine quills."

How to use quill

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA feather's stiff central shaft, an old-fashioned feather pen, or one of a porcupine's sharp spines.

Common pairings

write with a quill porcupine quills

Word forms

quilled past tense, quills plural, Quills plural, quills singular

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The _____ of the feather was surprisingly stiff.

Etymology

From late Middle English quyl, which is first attested in the early 15th century with the meanings "fragment of reed" and "shaft of a feather", probably from Low German and Middle Low German quiele, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- (“to pierce, stick”). Compare Middle High German kil (“large feather, quill”), which is derived from the Low German term.

Synonyms

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shaft pinion calamus quill pen quill feather flight feather

Related words

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Frequently asked questions

What does “quill” mean?

The word “quill” means the hollow central shaft of a bird's feather. In plain terms, a feather's stiff central shaft, an old-fashioned feather pen, or one of a porcupine's sharp spines.

How do you pronounce “quill”?

“Quill” is pronounced kwihl (/kwɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “quill” in a sentence?

Here is “quill” used in a sentence: “The quill of the feather was surprisingly stiff.”

What part of speech is “quill”?

“Quill” is a noun.

How many meanings does “quill” have?

“Quill” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the hollow central shaft of a bird's feather.

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