Plumage
/ˈpluː.mɪdʒ/noun
The feathers covering a bird's body.
Did you know?Plumage entered English through French from Latin pluma, a word for a feather or downy hair, and it’s part of the same ancient family that gave us words tied to fluff, fur, and fine hair.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plew-
“to flow, float; by extension, fine down or hair”
Latin
Latin
pluma
“a feather, soft down, or fine hair”
Late Latin
Latin
plumaticum
“feathered or pertaining to feathers”
Old French
Old French
plumage
“feathers, plumage”
Middle English
English
plumage
“feathers of a bird”