eider-down

A mother tucks her child in under a soft eider-down.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Soft feathers from the eider duck: "eider-down" refers to the soft, fine under-feathers of the eider duck, used for filling quilts, pillows, and clothing due to their exceptional warmth and lightness.
   • A quilt or duvet filled with such feathers: By extension, "eider-down" can also mean a thick, warm bed covering (often a quilt or duvet) stuffed with these feathers.

Usage Examples

• Soft feathers:
  • The pillow was stuffed with pure eider-down for maximum comfort. (The pillow contained the soft under-feathers of eider ducks.)
• A quilt or duvet:
  • She wrapped herself in a thick eider-down to stay warm during the winter night. (She used a quilt filled with eider duck feathers.)

Advanced Usage

• "eider-down jacket": a coat or jacket insulated with eider-down feathers, valued for its lightweight warmth in extreme cold.

  • Explorers in polar regions often wear eider-down jackets. (They use coats filled with eider duck feathers for insulation.)

• "eider-down industry": the commercial trade of harvesting and selling eider duck feathers, primarily in Nordic countries.

  • Iceland has a regulated eider-down industry to protect the duck population. (The business of collecting eider feathers is managed carefully.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eider (n): the duck species (Somateria mollissima) from which eider-down is sourced.

  • The eider nests along the rocky coasts of northern Europe. (The duck that produces eider-down.)

• Down (n): soft, fine feathers from birds (not limited to eider ducks).

  • Goose down is a common alternative to eider-down for bedding. (Soft feathers from geese.)

Synonyms

• Down: soft under-feathers of birds (generic term).
• Plumage: a collective term for all feathers on a bird, but not specifically the under-feathers.
• Duvet: a soft quilt filled with down or feathers (often used interchangeably with "eider-down" for the covering).

Related Idioms

• "As light as eider-down": used to describe something extremely lightweight and soft.

  • The scarf felt as light as eider-down around her neck. (It was very airy and delicate.)

• "Eider-down softness": a phrase emphasizing extreme softness, often in advertising for luxury bedding.

  • The hotel promised eider-down softness in every pillow. (They guaranteed a very plush, gentle feel.)