aigrette
Americannoun
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a plume or tuft of feathers, especially the back plume of any of various herons, arranged as a head ornament.
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a jeweled ornament depicting or suggesting this, usually worn in the hair or on a hat.
noun
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a long plume worn on hats or as a headdress, esp one of long egret feathers
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an ornament or piece of jewellery in imitation of a plume of feathers
Etymology
Origin of aigrette
1635–45; < French, equivalent to aigr- (< Germanic; compare Old High German heiger heron) + -ette -ette. See egret, heron
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Other intriguing pieces included Chaumet’s narrow diamond tiara with a central opal, with an upstanding aigrette of white feathers rising from sapphire branches.
From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2012
Under the long, lemon-tinted gown and the towering headdress of aigrette plumes, the tall, tawny body is heavier now.
From Time Magazine Archive
The oval, shapely head bore proudly a black shako topped with aigrette plumes.
From Time Magazine Archive
From his hat sprouted a white aigrette, round his neck hung the flashing gold chain of the Collar of the Annunziata, on his breast blazed medals.
From Time Magazine Archive
White, about 50 recurved "aigrette" plumes grow from back between the wings; legs black, feet yellow.
From Color Key to North American Birds with bibiographical appendix by Chapman, Frank M.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
