feþer

Alternative forms

• fether
• fethere

Etymology

From Old English feþer.

Noun

feþer (plural feþeres)

1. a feather

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *feþrō, from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én- (“feather, wing”), from *peth₂- (“to fly”). Cognate with Old Frisian feþere, fethere, Old Saxon feþera, fethera, Old Dutch fethera, fethara, Old High German fedara, Old Norse fjǫðr. The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek πέτεσθαι (pétesthai), πτῶσις (ptôsis), Latin penna, Old Armenian թիռ (tʿiṙ), Celtic Proto-Celtic *petno- (Old Irish én, Breton ein (“bird”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfeðer/

Noun

feþer f (nominative plural feþra or feþre)

1. a feather

   Se fenix ascæceþ feþre.

   The phoenix shakes its feathers.

2. a pen (writing instrument)