goosequill

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a large feather from a goose prepared for use as a writing pen

   The clerk sharpened his goosequill before signing the ledger.

A compound of goose + quill. Goose flight feathers were favored for durable writing pens in Europe before metal nibs became common; the feather was hardened, trimmed, and cut to form a point.

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