eiderdown

Etymology

From eider + down.

Why this word is great

EIDERDOWN — [Noun] The soft down feathers of the eider duck, prized for insulating quilts and pillows, or a quilt itself stuffed with such down. From Old Norse æðr ("eider duck") + Old English dūn ("soft feathers"). Unlike a "duvet" (any filled bedding shell) or a "comforter" (a thick, often synthetic blanket), eiderdown is luxury defined by origin—wild duck plumage gathered from Arctic nests, then coaxed into human service. It is the whisper of warmth against skin, the scent of sea air trapped in its filaments, the way it molds to the body like a second layer of sleep—reminder that tenderness can be plucked from resilience.

noun

  1. The down of the eider duck, used for stuffing pillows and quilts.“A great sea lifted us high and, crashing down with a deafening roar, carried us swiftly along on light foam as soft as eiderdown.”
  2. A quilt stuffed with this down.“The landlord was near spraining his wrist, and I told him for heaven’s sake to quit—the bed was soft enough to suit me, and I did not know how all the planing in the world could make eider down of a pine plank.”