plume
UK[pluːm]US[pluːm]
n
A long, soft feather or arrangement of feathers used for ornament.
n
A cloud of smoke, dust, or vapour with a shape resembling a feather.
v
To decorate or cover with feathers.
v
(Of smoke, dust, or vapour) to rise in a plume.
Etymology
The word "plume" entered English in the late Middle English period, borrowed directly from the Anglo-Norman and Old French word of the same spelling, meaning "feather." This French term descended from the Latin plūma, which specifically denoted soft, small feathers or down. The Latin word is thought to have roots in a Proto-Indo-European base meaning "to flow" or "to float," a poetic connection to the lightness and drifting quality of feathers. Over time, the English meaning expanded from a literal ornamental feather to encompass any feathery shape, such as a plume of smoke, elegantly preserving the visual analogy to its original form.
Analysis
The entire word "plume" is a simplex morpheme. It is a loanword from Old French, which derived from Latin plūma meaning "down, small soft feather." Its ultimate origin is Proto-Indo-European, but its form is not productively segmented in modern English.
Examples
The knight's helmet was adorned with a bright red plume.
A plume of dark smoke rose from the factory chimney.
The bird plumed its feathers carefully after the rain.