Feather vs. Protofeather — What's the Difference?

Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on dinosaurs, both avian (bird) and some non-avian (non-bird) and possibly other archosauromorphs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty.

(paleontology) The hypothetical precursors of bird feathers, believed to have been grown by certain dinosaurs.

One of the light, flat structures growing from the skin of birds, consisting of numerous slender, closely arranged parallel barbs forming a vane on either side of a horny, tapering, partly hollow shaft.

A feathery tuft or fringe of hair, as on the legs or tail of some dogs.

Character, kind, or nature

A strip, wedge, or flange used as a strengthening part.

A wedge or key that fits into a groove to make a joint.

The vane of an arrow.

A feather-shaped flaw, as in a precious stone.

The wake made by a submarine's periscope.

The act of feathering the blade of an oar in rowing.

To cover, dress, or decorate with feathers or featherlike projections.

To fit (an arrow) with a feather.

To thin, reduce, or fringe the edge of (wood, for example) by cutting, shaving, or making thinner.

To spread (paint, for example) thinly at the edges so as to blend with the surrounding area.

To shorten and taper (hair) by cutting and thinning.

To blur or soften the edge of (an image).

To apply (a brake, throttle, or other control) gently or slightly and steadily.

To turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal as it is carried back after each stroke.

To alter the pitch of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are parallel with the line of flight.

To alter the pitch of (the rotor of a helicopter) while in forward flight.

To turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight.

To grow feathers or become feathered.

To move, spread, or grow in a manner suggestive of feathers

To become thin or less dense at the edges

To feather an oar.

To feather a propeller.

A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display.

Long hair on the lower legs of a dog or horse, especially a draft horse, notably the Clydesdale breed. Narrowly only the rear hair.

One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.

A longitudinal strip projecting from an object to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sideways but permit motion lengthwise; a spline.

Kind; nature; species (from the proverbial phrase "birds of a feather").

One of the two shims of the three-piece stone-splitting tool known as plug and feather or plug and feathers; the feathers are placed in a borehole and then a wedge is driven between them, causing the stone to split.

The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.

Anything petty or trifling; a whit or jot.

Partridges and pheasants, as opposed to rabbits and hares (called fur).

(rail) A junction indicator attached to a colour-light signal at an angle, which lights up, typically with four white lights in a row, when a diverging route is set up.

To cover or furnish with feathers; to fletch.

To adorn, as if with feathers; to fringe.

To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.

To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.

(aeronautics) To streamline the blades of an aircraft's propeller by rotating them perpendicular to the axis of the propeller when the engine is shut down so that the propeller does not windmill during flight.

To finely shave or bevel an edge.

(computer graphics) To intergrade or blend the pixels of an image with those of a background or neighboring image.

(intransitive) Of written or printed ink: to take on a blurry appearance as a result of spreading through the receiving medium.

(transitive) To render light as a feather; to give wings to.

(transitive) To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.

(transitive) To tread, as a cockerel.

To move the cue back and forth along the bridge in preparation for striking the cue ball.

To accidentally touch the cue ball with the tip of the cue when taking aim.

(transitive) To touch lightly, like (or as if with) a feather.

(transitive) To move softly, like a feather.

One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down.

Kind; nature; species; - from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species.

The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs.

A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.

One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.

A longitudinal strip projecting as a fin from an object, to strengthen it, or to enter a channel in another object and thereby prevent displacement sidwise but permit motion lengthwise; a spline.

A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone.

The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.

To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap.

To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.

To render light as a feather; to give wings to.

To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.

To tread, as a cock.

To grow or form feathers; to become feathered; - often with out; as, the birds are feathering out.

To curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or "feathers;" as, the cream feathers.

To turn to a horizontal plane; - said of oars.

To have the appearance of a feather or of feathers; to be or to appear in feathery form.

The light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds

Turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls

Join tongue and groove, in carpentry

Cover or fit with feathers

Turn the paddle; in canoeing

Turn the oar, while rowing

Grow feathers;