plume

American  

[ploom] / plum /

noun

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)

plumed, pluming

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

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

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)

Example Sentences

She was swallowed in a plume of smoke.

From Literature

Satellite images show enormous plumes of smoke rising from burning oil facilities in Primorsk on 24 March, as well as fires at Ust-Luga and extensive damage to Kirishi on 27 March.

From BBC

Footage of the aftermath shows the entire side of the building blackened with soot with a plume of smoke rising into the air.

From BBC

And now, to fuel the war effort, the big smokestacks on those big oil refineries were sending out big black plumes of gunk — and that had to be creating the smog, right?

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m looking at satellite imagery right now as we speak, and I’m starting to see visible wildfire plumes pop up in states like New Mexico and Arizona and Colorado,” said Swain.

From Los Angeles Times