aigrette

noun
/ˈeɪ.ɡɹɛt/US

Etymology

Borrowed from French aigrette (“egret”). Doublet of egret.

  1. borrowed from aigrette

Definitions

  1. A feather or plume, or feather-shaped item, used as an adornment or ornament, typically…

    A feather or plume, or feather-shaped item, used as an adornment or ornament, typically in hats or hair.

    • This bauble, said he, shewing me an elegant sprig of diamonds, is an aigret, sent in last week by a lady of quality, who has ever since kept home with her head muffled up in a double clout for a pretended fit of the tooth-ache.
    • His turban, furled in many a graceful fold, / An emerald aigrette, with Haidée's hair in't, / Surmounted as its clasp […]
    • On a stool, in front [of the throne], was placed a human skull, crowned with an immense emerald, of a pyramidal form, and surmounted by an aigrette of brilliant plumes and precious stones.
  2. The lesser white heron.

    • Birds of many kinds skimmed the weedy flats. George pointed out a flock of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the priceless plumes.
  3. The feathery crown of some seeds (such as the dandelion).

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for aigrette. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA