Specialized structures unique to birds, made of keratin, that serve functions including flight, insulation, waterproofing, and display. Feathers have a complex branching structure with a central shaft and numerous barbs.
From Old English 'fether' related to German 'feder,' ultimately from Indo-European root meaning 'to fly.' The word has remained remarkably stable across Germanic languages for over 1,000 years.
Feathers are evolutionary marvels that may have originally evolved for insulation and display before being co-opted for flight! Each feather contains hundreds of thousands of microscopic structures called barbules that hook together like velcro, and some birds have feathers with structural colors that create iridescent displays without any pigments.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.