plume

American  

[ploom] / plum /

noun

plumes plural

1. a feather.

2. a large, long, or conspicuous feather.

   the brilliant plume of a peacock.

3. a soft, fluffy feather.

   the plume of an egret.

4. any plumose part or formation.

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

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

7. plumage.

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

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

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

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verb (used with object)

plumes, present (3rd person singular) plumed, past participle, past pluming present participle

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

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

3. to feel complacent satisfaction with (oneself ); pride (oneself ) (often followed by on orupon ).

   She sat before the mirror, pluming herself upon her beauty.

plume British  

/ pluːm /

noun

1. a feather, esp one that is large or ornamental

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

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

4. something that resembles a plume

   a plume of smoke

5. a token or decoration of honour; prize

6. Also called: mantle plume.  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

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verb

1. to adorn or decorate with feathers or plumes

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

3. to pride or congratulate (oneself)

plume Scientific  

/ plo̅o̅m /

1. A feather, especially a large one.

2. A body of magma that rises from the Earth's mantle into the crust.

3. ◆ If a plume rises to the Earth's surface, it erupts as lava.

4. ◆ If it remains below the Earth's surface, it eventually solidifies into a body of rock known as a pluton.

5. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• replume
  verb (used with object)
• plumeless
  adjective
• plumelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• plumes
  plural

Participles

• pluming
  present
• plumed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• plume
  simple
• plumes
  simple
• have plumed
  perfect
• has plumed
  perfect
• am pluming
  progressive
• are pluming
  progressive
• is pluming
  progressive
• have been pluming
  perfect progressive
• has been pluming
  perfect progressive

Past

• plumed
  simple
• had plumed
  perfect
• was pluming
  progressive
• were pluming
  progressive
• had been pluming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will plume
  simple
• will have plumed
  perfect
• will be pluming
  progressive
• will have been pluming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of plume

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

Explanation

Think of a large, fluffy, colorful feather and you are imagining a plume, something that can be used decoratively, often in hats or vases, just as it creates a decorative element for the bird it comes from. We can trace the present word plume from the Old English word plūmfether. Going back further, we can find the Latin pluma meaning "feather" or "down." Plume is often applied to a large puff of smoke or any mass that spreads into the air from a single source. If you see a plume of smoke coming from the chimney, the fireplace is going. If you see a plume of smoke coming from the window, call the fire department.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plume plumes plumed pluming

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed the risk to health from the debris and smoke plume was low.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

They propose that magma from a thermal-chemical plume rose through the plate, created the dike swarms, and then reacted with the surrounding mantle rock.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026

Flamingos had been hunted almost to extinction by 1900, thanks to an international plume trade that valued their feathers higher per ounce than gold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Another, 20 kilometres away, saw bright orange flames and a plume of smoke rising from the area, home to the world's largest liquefied natural gas hub.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

When Oliver reentered his apartment, feeling as smug as a peacock with a full plume of feathers, he ran straight into Jessie.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

A large cluster of fires affecting northwestern areas of Ontario are responsible for sending thick plumes of smoke and poor air quality across the region.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Strong winds swept plumes of smoke across the Great Lakes and into the Northeast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Videos of the response show crews dousing the building with water as flames leap through the roof of the market, sending black plumes of smoke into the air.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Clement Boher, a 37-year-old resident, said he and his family had been on alert since he saw plumes of smoke rise about the forest on Sunday night.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

The building sat at the end of a dirt driveway that erupted in plumes of dust at the sight of a car tire.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

A naming contest has been launched for the two eaglets born earlier this month to proud and plumed parents Jackie and Shadow, the widely followed bald eagle pair whose lives are streamed online.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

The King and Queen followed convention and were at the back of the procession dressed in white plumed hats and dark blue velvet robes, as were the other members of the order.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2025

We were too far away, or were seated behind the choir, or had our view blocked by a guardsman in a plumed helmet.

From Seattle Times ● May 6, 2023

Radioactive fallout plumed over the area but the public was never warned, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a publication founded in 1945 by nuclear physicists concerned about the dangers of atomic weapons.

From New York Times ● Nov. 4, 2022

“Even with one eye, that plumed serpent of a bird is too shrewd to be caught unawares. The deed must be done by someone he trusts, and who I trust to do it.”

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Stepping out of the truck, Avery looked up and saw flames and smoke pluming into the night sky.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2023

Elizabeth Leddy, 28, from Poole said: "The amount of smoke pluming out was like no heath fire I've seen before."

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2022

Crews arrived to find heavy fire and black smoke pluming from the single-level home.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 11, 2021

“I’m not very good,” he laughs, his breath pluming the air.

From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2020

Next to her, still pluming with smoke, was a pile of the demon’s ashes.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi