feather

American  

[feth-er] / ˈfɛð ər /

noun

feathers plural

1. one of the horny structures forming the principal covering of birds, consisting typically of a hard, tubular portion attached to the body and tapering into a thinner, stemlike portion bearing a series of slender, barbed processes that interlock to form a flat structure on each side.

2. kind; character; nature.

   two boys of the same feather.

3. something like a feather, as a tuft or fringe of hair.

4. something very light, small, or trivial.

   Your worry is a mere feather.

5. Archery. one of the vanes at the tail of an arrow or dart.

6. Carpentry. a spline for joining the grooved edges of two boards.

7. Masonry. plug and feathers

8. a featherlike flaw, especially in a precious stone.

9. Machinery. feather key.

10. Archaic. attire.

11. Obsolete. plumage.

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verb (used with object)

feathers, present (3rd person singular) feathered, past participle, past feathering present participle

1. to provide with feathers, as an arrow.

2. to clothe or cover with or as with feathers.

3. Rowing. to turn (an oar) after a stroke so that the blade becomes nearly horizontal, and hold it thus as it is moved back into position for the next stroke.

4. Aeronautics.

   1. to change the blade angle of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are approximately parallel to the line of flight.

   2. to turn off (an engine) while in flight.

verb (used without object)

feathers, present (3rd person singular) feathered, past participle, past feathering present participle

1. to grow feathers.

2. to be or become feathery in appearance.

3. to move like feathers.

4. Rowing. to feather an oar.

verb phrase

1. feather into to attack (a person, task, or problem) vigorously.

idioms

1. a feather in one's cap, a praiseworthy accomplishment; distinction; honor.

   Being chosen class president is a feather in her cap.

2. smooth one's ruffled / rumpled feathers, to regain one's composure; become calm.

   After the argument, we each retired to our own rooms to smooth our ruffled feathers.

3. ruffle someone's feathers, to anger, upset, or annoy (another person).

4. feather one's nest, to take advantage of the opportunities to enrich oneself.

   The mayor had used his term of office to feather his nest.

5. in fine / high feather, in good form, humor, or health.

   feeling in fine feather.

6. birds of a feather. bird.

feather British  

/ ˈfɛðə /

noun

1. any of the flat light waterproof epidermal structures forming the plumage of birds, each consisting of a hollow shaft having a vane of barbs on either side. They are essential for flight and help maintain body temperature

2. something resembling a feather, such as a tuft of hair or grass

3. archery

   1. a bird's feather or artificial substitute fitted to an arrow to direct its flight

   2. the feathered end of an arrow, opposite the head

4. a strip, spline, or tongue of wood fitted into a groove

5. the wake created on the surface of the water by the raised periscope of a submarine

6. rowing the position of an oar turned parallel to the water between strokes Compare square

7. a step in ballroom dancing in which a couple maintain the conventional hold but dance side by side

8. condition of spirits; fettle

   in fine feather

9. something of negligible value; jot

   I don't care a feather

10. people of the same type, character, or interests

11. a cause for pleasure at one's achievements

    your promotion is a feather in your cap

12. to fail to upset or injure someone

    it didn't take a feather out of him

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verb

1. (tr) to fit, cover, or supply with feathers

2. rowing to turn (an oar) parallel to the water during recovery between strokes, principally in order to lessen wind resistance Compare square

3. (in canoeing) to turn (a paddle) parallel to the direction of the canoe between strokes, while keeping it in the water, principally in order to move silently

4. to change the pitch of (an aircraft propeller) so that the chord lines of the blades are in line with the airflow

5. (tr) to join (two boards) by means of a tongue-and-groove joint

6. (intr) (of a bird) to grow feathers

7. (intr) to move or grow like feathers

8. to provide oneself with comforts, esp financial

feather Scientific  

/ fĕth′ər /

1. One of the light, flat structures that cover the skin of birds. A feather is made of a horny substance and has a narrow, hollow shaft bearing flat vanes formed of many parallel barbs. The barbs of outer feathers are formed of even smaller structures (called barbules) that interlock. The barbs of down feathers do not interlock. Evolutionarily, feathers are modified scales, first seen in certain dinosaurs.

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feather More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing feather

• birds of a feather
• fuss and feathers
• in fine feather
• knock down with a feather
• light as a feather
• make the dust (feathers) fly
• ruffle someone's feathers
• show the white feather
• tar and feather

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• featherlessness
  noun
• feather-like
  adjective
• featherless
  adjective
• featherlike
  adjective
• feathery
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• feathers
  plural

Participles

• feathering
  present
• feathered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• feather
  simple
• feathers
  simple
• have feathered
  perfect
• has feathered
  perfect
• am feathering
  progressive
• are feathering
  progressive
• is feathering
  progressive
• have been feathering
  perfect progressive
• has been feathering
  perfect progressive

Past

• feathered
  simple
• had feathered
  perfect
• was feathering
  progressive
• were feathering
  progressive
• had been feathering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will feather
  simple
• will have feathered
  perfect
• will be feathering
  progressive
• will have been feathering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of feather

before 900; Middle English, Old English fether; cognate with Dutch veder, German Feder, Old Norse fjǫthr; akin to Greek pterón, Sanskrit pátram wing, feather

Explanation

A feather is one of the soft, fringed plumes that cover the bodies of birds. Some feathers are tiny and downy, while others are large and brilliantly colored. Feathers are the main characteristic that separates birds from all other animals. Scientifically, feathers are described as growths or appendages that form on a bird's skin — but this definition can't capture how lovely feathers are. When feather is a verb, it usually means to turn or rotate an oar, paddle, or propeller so that it's parallel to the surface of the water.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

feather feathers feathered feathering

Couric interviewed Levi in February for her book club, and afterward Levi sent Couric a letter enclosed with a feather, one of the book’s motifs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

It also calls to mind a well-worn saying in gasoline markets: Prices rise like a rocket, and come down like a feather.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

The “grand dame diva of culture, divahood and porcine glamour” Miss Piggy, was honored at the show, where she showed up, naturally, in a pink dress and feather boa.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

Wearing a red feather headdress, Bepdjo told AFP of rising tensions with intruders in the Bau Indigenous Territory in Para state, four years after his people expelled almost 200 prospectors.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

Only the quick rise of one delicate eyebrow, which then floated back down slowly, like a downy feather caught in the breeze, revealed her surprise at seeing them.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

She was underweight with disheveled feathers and feet caked with mud.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Cheaper and faster models coming from developers in China -- particularly from DeepSeek and Moonshot -- have ruffled feathers, and raised concerns about intellectual property theft, in the US.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 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

Long feathers likely covered both its arms and legs, creating the appearance of four wings.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

He reached in a pouch he wore at the end of a string and took out an amulet of blue beads and heron feathers.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Having recently released her new memoir, “Famesick,” Lena Dunham made her first Met Gala appearance since 2019, wearing a heavy flow of a red feathered dress.

From Salon ● May 5, 2026

The outfit, designed by Olivier Rousteing, included a feathered coat and an intricate headpiece.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

"We are aware of the global supply chain challenges and subsequent increases in feathered shuttlecock prices impacting badminton communities around the world," BWF secretary general Thomas Lund said in a statement at the time.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

Around 175 million years ago, a group of feathered dinosaurs known as Pennaraptora appeared.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2026

There’s this portrait of Grandma in a feathered boa and a diamond bracelet.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

Traditionally, skiers negotiate the steepest terrain of a course by feathering their skis at a slight diagonal and elongating their stride to help them conserve energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

The Australian skipper removed him for a 13th time in Tests, more than any other bowler, with a furious Root berating himself after prodding at a full delivery and feathering to Carey.

From Barron's ● Dec. 20, 2025

The pilots had likely put the condition levers, which control power, in the feathering position instead of selecting the flap lever, he explained.

From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2023

Banja Luka is a strong yellow with red feathering and another variety likely to return the following spring.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 11, 2021

“You know, my IEP. Maybe it’s feathering some osprey nest right now.”

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

Related Words

• fringe
• plume