Definition of plumage
: the feathers of a bird
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Examples of plumage in a Sentence
The peacock has colorful plumage.
Recent Examples of plumage from the Web
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Bird with striking plumage: Brandywine Rd., 13300 block, Brandywine, June 28.
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They were hunted to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century for their plumage, a demand driven by the women’s hatmaking industry.
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While the exact type of the eagle was unknown, Prince said the rescued bird appeared to resemble a juvenile bald eagle with its brown plumage.
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In the wintry months before breeding begins, male ducks flaunt their plumage, putting on dramatic courtship displays in an effort to entrance a mate.
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In the case of Jianianhualong, the dinosaur's feathering gives paleontologists a better idea of what the ancestral plumage pattern looked like.
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How could there be adaptive value in every single minute detail of a manakin’s plumage and performance?
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Many trees wear a thick coating of moss — often sprouting a symbiotic plumage of ferns — that gives the whole woods a look of being upholstered in soft velour.
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Layered and stiff, their feathers are more reminiscent of an iguana’s crest than of a bird’s soft plumage.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plumage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of plumage
Middle English, from Middle French, from Old French, from plume feather — more at plume
PLUMAGE Defined for English Language Learners
plumage
playDefinition of plumage for English Language Learners
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: the feathers that cover the body of a bird
PLUMAGE Defined for Kids
Learn More about plumage
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Spanish Central: Translation of plumage Nglish: Translation of plumage for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plumage
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