What does plume mean?
A plume is a feather, especially a long or ornamental feather used to decorate clothing, hats, or ceremonial objects. The word also describes a rising column or trail of smoke, steam, dust, or spray, as in “a plume of smoke” or “a plume of steam.” As a verb, “to plume” means to send out or display a plume, while “to plume oneself” means to take pride in one’s appearance or achievements, sometimes in a conspicuously self-satisfied way. Although plume can suggest elegance, beauty, and grandeur, it can also carry a faintly critical tone when used of someone who is excessively proud or vain. Its distinctive range—from a delicate feather to a powerful column of volcanic smoke—makes it useful both in precise description and vivid figurative writing.
A feather or tuft of feathers, especially a long or ornamental one. It can also refer to a rising column or trail of smoke, steam, dust, or spray.
"She wore a velvet hat with a white plume."
The smoke-and-steam sense is often literary.
To emit or display a plume of smoke, steam, or another substance. In the expression “plume oneself,” to take conspicuous pride in one’s appearance or achievements.
"The chimney plumed white smoke into the cold air."
“Plume oneself” is formal and can imply excessive pride or vanity.
The regular plural is “plumes.”
"White plumes decorated the horses' bridles."
A plume can be a jewel-like feather, a towering column of smoke, or a sign of confident self-display: to plume oneself is to make a show of pride or elegance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plume come from?
The word comes through Old French plume from Latin pluma, meaning “feather.” It was used in English for an ornamental feather before extending, by analogy, to columns or trails of smoke and vapour. The same Latin root appears in related forms such as plumage, the covering of feathers on a bird, and plumery, ornamentation made from feathers.
Related word forms
How plume is actually used
In its feather sense, “plume” is often ornamental or ceremonial. When describing smoke or steam, it is a somewhat literary alternative to “column” or “trail.” The verb “to plume oneself” is formal and can suggest pride that is deliberately displayed.