feather

1 of 2

noun

feath·​er ˈfe-t͟hər 

1

a

: any of the light, horny, epidermal outgrowths that form the external covering of the body of birds

Note: Feathers include the smaller down feathers and the larger contour and flight feathers. Larger feathers consist of a shaft (rachis) bearing branches (barbs) which bear smaller branches (barbules). These smaller branches bear tiny hook-bearing processes (barbicels) which interlock with the barbules of an adjacent barb to link the barbs into a continuous stiff vane. Down feathers lack barbules, resulting in fluffy feathers which provide insulation below the contour feathers.

b

archaic : plume sense 2a

c

: the vane of an arrow

2

a

: plumage

b

: kind, nature

birds of a feather flock together

c

: attire, dress

d

: condition, mood

woke up in fine feather

e

feathers plural : composure

some feathers had been ruffled

—D. J. Blum

3

: feathering sense 2

4

: a projecting strip, rib, fin, or flange

5

: a feathery flaw in the eye or in a precious stone

6

: the act of feathering an oar

featherless adjective

Illustration of feather

• A-1 quill
• A-2 vane; B-1 barb
• B-2 barbule
• B-3 barbicel with hamulus

feather

2 of 2

verb

feathered; feathering ˈfet͟h-riŋ 

ˈfe-t͟hə-

transitive verb

1

a

: to furnish (something, such as an arrow) with a feather

b

: to cover, clothe, or adorn with or as if with feathers

2

a

: to turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal when lifting from the water at the end of a stroke to reduce air resistance

b(1)

: to change the angle of (airplane propeller blades) so that the chords become approximately parallel to the line of flight

also : to change the angle of airplane propeller blades of (an engine) in such a manner

(2)

: to change the angle of (a rotor blade of a rotorcraft) periodically in forward flight

3

: to reduce the edge of to a featheredge

4

a

of a bird : to cut (the air) with a wing

b

of a fish : to cut (the water) with a fin

5

: to join by a tongue and groove

6

: to hit, throw, pass, or shoot softly and usually with precision

feathered a perfect lob over the net

intransitive verb

1

: to grow or form feathers

2

: to have or take on the appearance of a feather or something feathered

3

: to soak in and spread : blur

—used of ink or a printed impression

4

: to feather an oar or an airplane propeller blade

Phrases

a feather in one's cap

: a mark of distinction : honor

feather one's nest

: to provide for oneself especially financially by unethically exploiting a position of trust

Synonyms

Noun

• breed
• class
• description
• genre
• ilk
• kidney
• kind
• like
• manner
• nature
• order
• sort
• species
• strain
• stripe
• type
• variety

Examples of feather in a Sentence

Noun

they are a very sports-minded couple, and most of their friends are of the same feather

prom couples strutted into the ballroom in full feather

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aries is also a Cardinal Fire sign, known for its audacity and desire to initiate new things, even if that means ruffling a few feathers along the way. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025

While speaking abroad, the filmmakers tried their best not to ruffle any feathers back in Iran, and for a time, after several requests by Molayemi and Sohani, the Iranian government seemed reluctantly content to support the film’s Oscar campaign, including travel expenses for the directors. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 18 Feb. 2025

Verb

Here is a sampling: 1795: The Whiskey Rebellion In the early 1790s, Pennsylvania farmers tarred and feathered several government officials sent to collect a new tax on whiskey production. —David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025

Crosby feathered a pass for Karlsson, but Gibson’s acrobatic left-pad save preserved the Ducks’ edge at the second intermission. —Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fether, from Old English; akin to Old High German federa wing, Latin petere to go to, seek, Greek petesthai to fly, piptein to fall, pteron wing

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing feather

• a feather in someone's cap
• as light as a feather
• birds of a feather
• birds of a feather flock together
• contour feather
• feather bed
• feather duster
• feather one's nest
• feather star
• flight feather
• of a feather
• prince's feather
• tar and feather
• white feather
• you could have knocked me over with a feather

Kids Definition

feather

1 of 2 noun

feath·​er ˈfet͟h-ər 

1

: one of the light horny growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird

2

a

: kind entry 1 sense 1, nature

birds of a feather

b

: clothing sense 1, dress

in full feather

c

: condition entry 1 sense 5b, mood

in fine feather

feathered

-ərd 

adjective

featherless

-ər-ləs

adjective

feathery

-(ə-)rē

adjective

feather

2 of 2 verb

feathered; feathering ˈfet͟h-(ə-)riŋ 

1

a

: to provide (as an arrow) with a feather

b

: to cover, clothe, or adorn with feathers

2

a

: to turn (an oar blade) parallel to the water when lifting from the water at the end of a stroke

b

: to change the angle of (airplane propeller blades) to reduce air resistance

also : to change the angle of airplane propeller blades of (an engine) in such a manner

3

: to grow feathers

4

: to move, spread, or grow like feathers

Medical Definition

feather

noun

feath·​er ˈfet͟h-ər 

: one of the light horny epidermal outgrowths that form the external covering of the body of birds and that consist of a shaft bearing on each side a series of barbs which bear barbules which in turn bear barbicels commonly ending in the hooked processes and interlocking with the barbules of an adjacent barb to link the barbs into a continuous vane

feathered

-ərd 

adjective

Geographical Definition

Feather

geographical name

Feath·​er ˈfe-t͟hər 

river 100 miles (161 kilometers) long in north central California flowing south into the Sacramento River