quill

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the stiff hollow shaft of a feather, or a large feather with such a shaft

   The damaged quill made the wing feather bend.

2. 2
   noun

   a pen made from a sharpened feather; historical

   The clerk wrote the entry with a freshly cut quill.

3. 3
   noun

   a stiff, hollow defensive spine on a porcupine or similar animal

   A porcupine quill was embedded in the dog's paw.

From late Middle English quyl 'reed fragment; feather shaft,' probably from Middle Low German quiele. Its deeper origin is uncertain, though a connection with an Indo-European root meaning 'to pierce' has been proposed.

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