plumage
Americannoun
-
the entire feathery covering of a bird.
-
feathers collectively.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of plumage
1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French. See plume, -age
Explanation
If you like the looks of the color and pattern formed by a bird’s feathers, then you like its plumage. The word plumage traces back to the French word plume, meaning feather, and it’s a way of referring to all the feathers that form the color and patterns of a particular bird. For example, birdwatchers study illustrations of birds so that they can recognize, say, a golden hawk in flight by its plumage.
Vocabulary lists containing plumage
Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
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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.
Actually, the fineness of the design is probably best appreciated at night, with its full plumage of illumination switched on.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
The Franco-Belgian couturier referenced the extravagant plumage of a roseate spoonbill or the crested cockatoo alongside the humble crow, grey pigeon and magpie.
From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026
A lot of my research has been on dryland birds in New Mexico, many of which have drab gray or brown plumage.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2025
The male peacocks have the extravagant plumage to attract mates, while the females are a plainer colour.
From BBC • Aug. 28, 2024
Imagine a flock of vultures the size of people—with dirty black plumage, gray talons, and wrinkled pink necks.
From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
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.
