: 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
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
Noun
That day, at 2:21 p.m. in the direction of the nearby Shiite village of Maroun al-Ras, Israeli forces fired a single rocket or shell that sent a large plume of smoke into the air.—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2024 In the new study, scientists collected data using airplane flyovers and imaging spectrometers to measure concentrations, or plumes, of methane in the air.—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 22 May 2024
Verb
Not just the confetti, but also pyro in the form of fireballs pluming out from the sides of the stage and sparks showering down from the tops of it.—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024 High above her a column of black smoke plumed over the trees.—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023 See all Example Sentences for plume
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plume.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin pluma small soft feather — more at fleece
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