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Aigrette

1. (Science: ornithology) The small white European heron. See egret.

2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc.

3. A tuft like that of the egret.

4. (Science: botany) a feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.

Origin: f, a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. Of the same word as heron. See heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.