pen-feather

A writer dips a pen-feather into an inkwell.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A strong, stiff feather, especially from a goose or similar bird, historically used as a writing implement (a quill pen). The term refers specifically to feathers suitable for making into pen nibs.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The scribe carefully selected a pen-feather from the goose's wing. (A stiff feather chosen for making a quill pen.)
  • Before steel nibs were invented, writers relied on the pen-feather for their daily correspondence. (The feather used as a writing tool.)

Advanced Usage

• "to cut a pen-feather": to prepare a quill for writing by trimming the tip.
  • The calligrapher skillfully cut a pen-feather to achieve a fine line. (He shaped the feather's tip to create a precise writing nib.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pen-feather (n): the same term, sometimes written as a hyphenated compound or as two words ().
• Quill (n): a more common synonym for a pen-feather used as a writing instrument.
  • He dipped the quill into the inkwell. (He used a pen-feather as a pen.)

Synonyms

• Quill: a hollow, stiff feather, especially one used for writing.
• Flight feather: a large, strong feather from a bird's wing or tail, which includes pen-feathers.

Related Idioms

• "To have a pen-feather in one's cap": an archaic idiom meaning to have a notable achievement or skill in writing.
  • After publishing his first novel, he felt he had a pen-feather in his cap. (He was proud of his writing accomplishment.)

Notes on Usage

• The term pen-feather is largely historical and rarely used in modern contexts, except in discussions of calligraphy, historical writing implements, or ornithology. It is distinct from "feather" in general, emphasizing the specific type of feather used for pen-making.