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eiderdown

American  
[ahy-der-doun] / ˈaɪ dərˌdaʊn /

noun

  1. down, or soft feathers, from the breast of the female eider duck.

  2. a heavy quilt or comforter, especially one filled with eiderdown.

  3. a warm, lightweight knitted or woven fabric of wool, cotton, or man-made fibers, napped on one or both sides, used for sleepwear, infants' clothing, etc.


eiderdown British  
/ ˈaɪdəˌdaʊn /

noun

  1. the breast down of the female eider duck, with which it lines the nest, used for stuffing pillows, quilts, etc

  2. a thick warm cover for a bed, made of two layers of material enclosing a soft filling

  3. a warm cotton fabric having a woollen nap

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of eiderdown

First recorded in 1765–75; eider + down 2

Vocabulary lists containing eiderdown

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.

See Examples For:

Harvey’s memoir of her 2016 insomnia is “like a small and well-worn eiderdown quilt,” our reviewer, Alexandra Jacobs, wrote.

From New York Times May 21, 2021

I pick it up and the flakes fall off like strands of eiderdown.

From Washington Post Oct. 31, 2019

The classic Goblin Teasmade is probably the best-known of these little gems that cater for our obsession with a nice cup of char before emerging from beneath the eiderdown.

From BBC Sep. 7, 2018

How many homes have pressed sheets, or towels and robes as soft and white and warm as eiderdown?

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 26, 2018

To hold the eiderdown on a bed tie a brick at each corner.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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