plumose
|plu-mose|
🇺🇸
/ˈpluːmoʊs/
🇬🇧
/ˈpluːməʊs/
feathery; plume-like
Etymology
'plumose' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'plumosus', where 'pluma' meant 'feather' and the suffix '-osus' meant 'full of'.
'plumose' changed from Latin 'plumosus' (New/Scientific Latin) and was adopted into English from Neo-Latin/Scientific usage (recorded from the 17th century), preserving the sense of 'feathered' or 'having plumes'.
Initially it meant 'full of feathers' in a literal sense, and over time it has retained that core meaning while extending to describe anything 'feather-like' in form (e.g., filamentous botanical or entomological structures).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having or resembling a plume; covered with or bearing feathers or feather-like structures; feathery.
The bird displayed a plumose crest along its head.
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Adjective 2
(biology, especially entomology/botany) Bearing many fine, hairlike or filamentous branches that give a feather-like appearance (e.g., plumose antennae, plumose hairs on seeds).
Many moths have plumose antennae that increase sensory surface area.
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Last updated: 2025/08/20 00:00