Illustration of plume
- P plume 2a
1
: a feather of a bird: such as
a
: a large conspicuous or showy feather
b
c
: plumage
d
: a cluster of distinctive feathers
2
a
: material (such as a feather, cluster of feathers, or a tuft of hair) worn as an ornament
b
: a token of honor or prowess : prize
3
: something resembling a feather (as in shape, appearance, or lightness): such as
a
: a plumose appendage of a plant
b
: an elongated and usually open and mobile column or band (as of smoke, exhaust gases, or blowing snow)
c
: an animal structure having a main shaft bearing many hairs or filamentous parts
especially
: a full bushy tail
d
: any of several columns of molten rock rising from the earth's lower mantle that are theorized to drive tectonic plate movement and to underlie hot spots
plumed; pluming
1
a
: to provide or deck with feathers
b
: to array showily
2
: to indulge (oneself) in pride with an obvious or vain display of self-satisfaction
3
of a bird
a
: to preen and arrange the feathers of (itself)
b
: to preen and arrange (feathers)
Examples of plume in a Sentence
Noun
a hat with bright ostrich plumes
the Nobel Prize for Literature is the plume that all authors covet
Verb
that jerk plumes himself on his supposed athletic skills
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Security camera footage shared by CNN showed an aircraft descending behind a warehouse, followed by an explosion of bright red and orange lighting up the night sky and plumes of thick smoke.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024
Matt Thompson, SPIN, 18 Oct. 2024
As flames plumed from the stage, mosh pits began to spawn.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for plume 
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Noun
However, the latest storm will not be as powerful as last week's atmospheric river, which is a lengthy plume of moisture that originates over the ocean and runs across land.
—Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Security camera footage shared by CNN showed an aircraft descending behind a warehouse, followed by an explosion of bright red and orange lighting up the night sky and plumes of thick smoke.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
Also Read Playboi Carti, André 3000 Anchor Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw
The spinning punk dervishes here at this multi-band guerrilla gig conjure from the ground a choking cloud of dust, which plumes north in the twilight.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 18 Oct. 2024
As flames plumed from the stage, mosh pits began to spawn.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for plume
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Dictionary Entries Near plume
Cite this Entry
“Plume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plume. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plume
1 of 2 noun1
: a feather of a bird
especially
: one that is large and showy
2
a
: a feather or tuft of feathers worn as an ornament (as on a hat)
b
: a deserved prize or reward
3
: something that resembles a feather (as in shape or lightness)
a plume of smoke
plumy
adjective
ˈplü-mē
plume
2 of 2 verb
plumed; pluming
1
: to provide or adorn with feathers
2
: to act with too much pride in oneself
plumed himself on his swimming skill
3
: to arrange the feathers of : preen
a bird pluming itself
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