pluma

Pluma is a Spanish noun with several related meanings. The most common are a feather, the keratinous outgrowth that covers a bird’s body, and a writing instrument. In everyday speech, pluma can refer to a pen in general, and specifically to a fountain pen; the phrase pluma estilográfica is widely used for that instrument. The word derives from Latin pluma, meaning feather, and has cognates in many Romance languages.

In ornithology and animal biology, pluma denotes a single feather or the bird’s plumage. Plumaje refers to the overall feather covering of a bird. Feathers fulfill several functions, including flight, insulation, camouflage, and display, and they come in diverse shapes such as contour, down, and flight feathers.

Other uses of pluma are cultural and historical. Historically, feathers were used as writing instruments known as quills, a practice that contributed to the broader association between the word pluma and writing. In modern Spanish, the term continues to appear in compounds and in symbolic references to writing and authorship, and it also designates decorative feather plumes used in fashion and ceremonial dress.