Feather vs. Quill — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 11, 2023
A feather is the soft, light covering of birds, while a quill is the stiff, hollow shaft of a feather, often used historically as a writing instrument.
Difference Between Feather and Quill
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Feather and Quill, both connected to birds, have unique attributes and roles. A feather is the flexible, keratinous structure that covers the body of birds, playing a crucial role in their insulation, waterproofing, and flight. Each feather is intricately designed with a central shaft and many barbs radiating from it. The quill, on the other hand, specifically refers to the stiff, hollow, basal part of the feather's shaft. It's the thick, rigid section from which the softer part of the feather emerges.
Both Feather and Quill have had historical and cultural significance in various societies. For instance, feathers, due to their light and soft nature, have been used for decoration, in rituals, and as symbols in many cultures. Quills, on the contrary, hold a unique place in the history of writing. Before the advent of modern pens, the hollow structure of a quill was often cut and shaped to serve as a writing instrument, primarily using ink.
While every bird possesses feathers, not every feather is suitable for creating quills. Typically, the primary flight feathers from large birds, such as geese or swans, were preferred for making quills due to their size and strength. Hence, while all quills are feathers, not all feathers can be used as quills.
In contemporary times, the term "feather" still refers to the covering of birds, and they find usage in fashion, crafts, and bedding. Quills, though no longer a popular writing tool, symbolize a bygone era and are often associated with classical or historical settings.
Comparison Chart
Definition
The light, soft covering of birds.
The stiff, hollow shaft of a feather.
ADVERTISEMENT
Historical Usage
Used for decoration, rituals, and symbols.
Used as a writing instrument.
Composition
Made of keratin and consists of a shaft and barbs.
The basal part of a feather's shaft.
Found in
All birds.
Primarily large birds like geese or swans.
Current Usage
Fashion, crafts, bedding.
Symbolic, occasionally used for calligraphy.
Compare with Definitions
Feather
The keratinous covering on birds.
The bird's feather was brilliantly colored.
Quill
A pen made from a feather, used historically.
Scribes often wrote with a quill dipped in ink.
Feather
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.
Quill
The bobbin or spool in a spinning machine.
The worker replaced the quill in the loom.
Feather
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.
Quill
A quill is a writing tool made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen.
Feather
A feathery tuft or fringe of hair, as on the legs or tail of some dogs.
Quill
The hollow stemlike main shaft of a feather. Also called calamus.
Feather
Character, kind, or nature
Birds of a feather flock together.
Quill
Any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird.
Feather
A strip, wedge, or flange used as a strengthening part.
Quill
A writing pen made from the shaft of a feather.
Feather
A wedge or key that fits into a groove to make a joint.
Quill
A plectrum for a stringed instrument of the clavichord type.
Feather
The vane of an arrow.
Quill
A pipe having a hollow stem.
Feather
A feather-shaped flaw, as in a precious stone.
Quill
A toothpick made from the stem of a feather.
Feather
The wake made by a submarine's periscope.
Quill
One of the sharp hollow spines of a porcupine or hedgehog.
Feather
The act of feathering the blade of an oar in rowing.
Quill
A spindle or bobbin around which yarn is wound in weaving.
Feather
To cover, dress, or decorate with feathers or featherlike projections.
Quill
A hollow shaft that rotates on a solid shaft when gears are engaged.
Feather
To fit (an arrow) with a feather.
Quill
To wind (thread or yarn) onto a quill.
Feather
To thin, reduce, or fringe the edge of (wood, for example) by cutting, shaving, or making thinner.
Quill
To make or press small ridges in (fabric).
Feather
To spread (paint, for example) thinly at the edges so as to blend with the surrounding area.
Quill
To practice the art or craft of quilling.
Feather
To shorten and taper (hair) by cutting and thinning.
Quill
The lower shaft of a feather, specifically the region lacking barbs.
Feather
To blur or soften the edge of (an image).
Quill
A pen made from a feather.
Feather
To apply (a brake, throttle, or other control) gently or slightly and steadily.
Quill
(by extension) Any pen.
He picked up his quill and wrote a poem.
Feather
To turn (an oar blade) almost horizontal as it is carried back after each stroke.
Quill
A sharply pointed, barbed, and easily detached needle-like structure that grows on the skin of a porcupine or hedgehog as a defense against predators.
Feather
To alter the pitch of (a propeller) so that the chords of the blades are parallel with the line of flight.
Quill
A thin piece of bark, especially of cinnamon or cinchona, curled up into a tube.
Feather
To alter the pitch of (the rotor of a helicopter) while in forward flight.
Quill
The pen of a squid.
Feather
To turn off (an aircraft engine) while in flight.
Quill
(music) The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments.
Feather
To grow feathers or become feathered.
Quill
(music) The tube of a musical instrument.
Feather
To move, spread, or grow in a manner suggestive of feathers
“Steam feathered out from under the bathroom door” (Melinda Hayes).
Quill
Something having the form of a quill, such as the fold or plain of a ruff, or (weaving) a spindle, or spool, upon which the thread for the woof is wound in a shuttle.
Feather
To become thin or less dense at the edges
“That lipstick had feathered out in the corners of her mouth” (Erin McCarthy).
Quill
To pierce or be pierced with quills.
Feather
To feather an oar.
Quill
(figuratively) To write.
Feather
To feather a propeller.
Quill
To form fabric into small, rounded folds.
Feather
A branching, hair-like structure that grows on the bodies of birds, used for flight, swimming, protection and display.
Quill
To decorate with quillwork.
Feather
Long hair on the lower legs of a dog or horse, especially a draft horse, notably the Clydesdale breed. Narrowly only the rear hair.
Quill
To subject (a woman who is giving birth) to the practice of quilling (blowing pepper into her nose to induce or hasten labor).
Feather
One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
Quill
One of the large feathers of a bird's wing, or one of the rectrices of the tail; also, the stock of such a feather.
Feather
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.
Quill
A pen for writing made by sharpening and splitting the point or nib of the stock of a feather; as, history is the proper subject of his quill.
Feather
Kind; nature; species (from the proverbial phrase "birds of a feather").
Quill
A spine of the hedgehog or porcupine.
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.
Quill
The plectrum with which musicians strike the strings of certain instruments.
He touched the tender stops of various quills.
Feather
The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.
Quill
Something having the form of a quill
Feather
Anything petty or trifling; a whit or jot.
Quill
A roll of dried bark; as, a quill of cinnamon or of cinchona.
Feather
Partridges and pheasants, as opposed to rabbits and hares (called fur).
Quill
To plaint in small cylindrical ridges, called quillings; as, to quill a ruffle.
His cravat seemed quilled into a ruff.
Feather
(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.
Quill
To wind on a quill, as thread or yarn.
Feather
To cover or furnish with feathers; to fletch.
Quill
Pen made from a bird's feather
Feather
To adorn, as if with feathers; to fringe.
Quill
A stiff hollow protective spine on a porcupine or hedgehog
Feather
To arrange in the manner or appearance of feathers.
The stylist feathered my hair.
Quill
Any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird
Feather
To rotate the oars while they are out of the water to reduce wind resistance.
Quill
The hollow shaft of a feather
Feather
(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.
After striking the bird, the pilot feathered the damaged left engine’s propeller.
Quill
The hollow shaft of a bird's feather.
She picked up the quill to write a note.
Feather
To finely shave or bevel an edge.
Quill
A spine of a porcupine or hedgehog.
The animal's quill pricked his finger.
Feather
(computer graphics) To intergrade or blend the pixels of an image with those of a background or neighboring image.
Quill
A flute or reed in a musical instrument.
The organ's quill produced a harmonious sound.
Feather
(intransitive) Of written or printed ink: to take on a blurry appearance as a result of spreading through the receiving medium.
Feather
(transitive) To render light as a feather; to give wings to.
Feather
(transitive) To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.
Feather
(transitive) To tread, as a cockerel.
Feather
To move the cue back and forth along the bridge in preparation for striking the cue ball.
Feather
To accidentally touch the cue ball with the tip of the cue when taking aim.
Feather
(transitive) To touch lightly, like (or as if with) a feather.
Feather
(transitive) To move softly, like a feather.
Feather
One of the peculiar dermal appendages, of several kinds, belonging to birds, as contour feathers, quills, and down.
Feather
Kind; nature; species; - from the proverbial phrase, "Birds of a feather," that is, of the same species.
I am not of that feather to shake offMy friend when he must need me.
Feather
The fringe of long hair on the legs of the setter and some other dogs.
Feather
A tuft of peculiar, long, frizzly hair on a horse.
Feather
One of the fins or wings on the shaft of an arrow.
Feather
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.
Feather
A thin wedge driven between the two semicylindrical parts of a divided plug in a hole bored in a stone, to rend the stone.
Feather
The angular adjustment of an oar or paddle-wheel float, with reference to a horizontal axis, as it leaves or enters the water.
Feather
To furnish with a feather or feathers, as an arrow or a cap.
An eagle had the ill hap to be struck with an arrow feathered from her own wing.
Feather
To adorn, as with feathers; to fringe.
A few birches and oaks still feathered the narrow ravines.
Feather
To render light as a feather; to give wings to.
The Polonian story perhaps may feather some tedious hours.
Feather
To enrich; to exalt; to benefit.
They stuck not to say that the king cared not to plume his nobility and people to feather himself.
Feather
To tread, as a cock.
Feather
To grow or form feathers; to become feathered; - often with out; as, the birds are feathering out.
Feather
To curdle when poured into another liquid, and float about in little flakes or "feathers;" as, the cream feathers.
Feather
To turn to a horizontal plane; - said of oars.
The feathering oar returns the gleam.
Stopping his sculls in the air to feather accurately.
Feather
To have the appearance of a feather or of feathers; to be or to appear in feathery form.
A clump of ancient cedars feathering in evergreen beauty down to the ground.
The ripple feathering from her bows.
Feather
The light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
Feather
Turning an oar parallel to the water between pulls
Feather
Join tongue and groove, in carpentry
Feather
Cover or fit with feathers
Feather
Turn the paddle; in canoeing
Feather
Turn the oar, while rowing
Feather
Grow feathers;
The young sparrows are fledging already
Feather
A structure aiding in a bird's flight.
The eagle spread its feathers and soared high.
Feather
Something resembling a bird's plume.
He wore a hat with a decorative feather.
Feather
A fin ray in fish.
The fish's feather-like structure glistened under water.
Feather
To turn (an oar) parallel to the water between strokes.
He feathered the oars smoothly as the boat glided.
Common Curiosities
How do Feathers aid birds in flying?
Feathers provide lift, balance, and insulation, enabling birds to fly efficiently.
How was a Quill historically used?
Historically, a quill, derived from a bird's feather, was used as a writing instrument.
What is the primary function of a bird's Feather?
A bird's feather primarily aids in flight, insulation, and waterproofing.
Is the Quill the entire Feather?
No, the quill is just the stiff, hollow base of a feather's shaft.
Are all Feathers suitable for creating Quills?
No, typically only the primary flight feathers from large birds like geese or swans are suitable for quills.
Why were goose feathers often used to make Quills?
Goose feathers were preferred due to their size, strength, and the rigidity of their quills.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Hackle vs. Heckle
Next Comparison
Growler vs. IcebergAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
