deplume

D2E1P3L1U1M3E1
/diːˈpluːm/

verb

To strip of feathers or plumage.

Similar
defeatherdisplumepluckpullteardeplumate
OriginFrench déplumer ← Latin dēplūmō →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

verbdeplume (third-person singular simple present deplumes, present participle depluming, simple past and past participle deplumed)

present singular third person deplumes · participle present depluming · participle past deplumed · past deplumed

  1. transitiveTo strip of feathers or plumage.

    On the depluming of the pope every bird had his own feather.

    1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)
    1 more example

    Before the birds are cut and quartered by the butchers they must be totally deplumed.

    2012, Ócha'ni Lele, Sacrificial Ceremonies of Santería

    Synonyms: defeather

  2. figurativelytransitiveTo lay bare; to expose.

    the exposure and depluming […] of the leading humbugs of the age

    c. 1841, Thomas De Quincey, Libellous Attacks...
  3. To condense excess water vapor from the flue gas.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo strip of feathers or plumage.

Similar
defeather

More synonyms by meaning

verbstrip of honors, possessions, or attributes

Similar
displume
Broader
plunderdespoilloot

verbstrip of feathers

Similar
pluckpullteardeplumatedisplume
Broader
strip
Also see
deplumatedisplumepluckpulltear

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindēplūmō
  2. Frenchdéplumer
  3. Englishdeplume

From French déplumer, from Latin dēplūmō, from dē- + plūmō (“to cover with feathers”), from plūma (“feather”). Compare dēplūmis (“featherless”).

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

deplume. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deplume

MLA

“deplume.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deplume. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deplume,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deplume.

Source: deplume on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.