Plume

Plume Plume, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. {Fly}, v.] [1913 Webster] 1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather. [1913 Webster]

Wings . . . of many a colored plume. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) An ornamental tuft of feathers. [1913 Webster]

3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling feathers. [1913 Webster]

His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides himself; a prize or reward. ``Ambitious to win from me some plume.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses. [1913 Webster]

{Plume bird} (Zo["o]l.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida ({Ardea candidissima}).

{Plume grass}. (Bot) (a) A kind of grass ({Erianthus saccharoides}) with the spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in swamps in the Southern United States. (b) The still finer {Erianthus Ravenn[ae]} from the Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole genus.

{Plume moth} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous small, slender moths, belonging to the family {Pterophorid[ae]}. Most of them have the wings deeply divided into two or more plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the grapevine.

{Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree ({Atherosperma moschata}), whose numerous carpels are tipped with long plumose persistent styles. [1913 Webster]