plume

[ ploom ]

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. Compare diapir.

verb (used with object)

, plumed, plum·ing.

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 or upon ):

   She sat before the mirror, pluming herself upon her beauty.

plume

/ 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. 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 Also calledmantle plume

verb

1. to adorn or decorate with feathers or plumes
2. (of a bird) to clean or preen (itself or its feathers)
3. foll byon or upon to pride or congratulate (oneself)

plume

/ 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.

Derived Forms

• ˈplumeˌlike, adjective
• ˈplumeless, adjective

Other Words From

• plumeless adjective
• plumelike adjective
• re·plume verb (used with object) replumed repluming

Word History and Origins

Origin of plume¹

1350–1400; earlier plome, plume, Middle English plume < Middle French < Latin plūma soft feather (> Old English plūm-, in plūmfether downy feather)

Word History and Origins

Origin of plume¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin plūma downy feather

Example Sentences

The first was a plume of moisture from Tropical Storm Fausto, far to the south, which managed to travel north to California on the wind and provide just enough moisture to form clouds.

From Science News

The extent to which fecal aerosol plumes are infecting people with the SARS-CoV-2 virus isn’t known, said Queensland’s Morawska.

From Fortune

The rising plume lifted up record amounts of water and carbon monoxide.

From Science News For Students

It was one of the largest wildfire smoke plumes ever seen in the stratosphere, says Jessica Smith.

From Science News For Students

Those winds have never been observed around similar plumes, researchers report online May 30 in Geophysical Research Letters.

From Science News

For one month in 2013, a British street artist known by the nom de plume of Banksy hypnotized the city of New York.

From The Daily Beast

Borgman has escaped through a tunnel, leaving a plume of smoke in his wake.

From The Daily Beast

Reprinted with the permission of Plume, a member of the Penguin Group.

From The Daily Beast

Mark Owen (the nom de plume for Matt Bissonnette) carefully recounts his life and career as a member of SEAL Team 6.

From The Daily Beast

As ocean currents head eastward across the Pacific, the plume is expected eventually to hit the West Coast of the United States.

From The Daily Beast

It mounted straight as a plume for a little way, until it met the cool air of evening which was beginning to fall.

From Project Gutenberg

Each tiny tree was a plume of leaves; the rows stretched out to the hilltop, and over.

From Project Gutenberg

The sun-kissed flowers plume the day with colour, and fling incense to the winds.

From Project Gutenberg

Corn Plume looked down at the Squash Maiden sitting on her blanket at his feet.

From Project Gutenberg

Her heart sang, when she heard the voice of Corn Plume, for she knew that he was calling her.

From Project Gutenberg