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goose down

goose down

3 3.8
Soft fine feathers from under a goose used as warm filling
  • noun
  • /ɡus daʊn/
translation icon : pluma de ganso
  • The jacket was filled with goose down, making it incredibly lightweight yet warm for frigid winter days.
  • goose down pillow
  • goose down comforter
  • goose down parka

Examples

  • At last, the cold penetrated my goose down parka.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • There may be Canadian goose down, which is in the major luxury comforters.

    Blog text (31)
  • Here, look, see, it's stuffed with goose down.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • To my surprise, there are four differing types of goose down in the marketplace.

    Blog text (31)
  • Would you like goose down or Dacron pillows?

  • A small crowd gathered, dressed in the mufflers, stocking caps, and goose-down parkas of New England.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • And he specialises mostly in goose down and suede and, you know, fine fabrics, but he's thinking about expanding into fur storage.

  • At Lands' End, the many choices include cotton, fleece, and wool blankets, goose down, or hypoallergenic comforters and chenille throws.

    Blog text (25)
  • After a long day, I sank into my bed, grateful for the cozy goose down comforter that kept me warm through the night.

  • Would you prefer a jacket lined with goose down or one filled with synthetic materials?

Synonyms

down
vsgoose down
34 4.8

Soft, fine feathers on young birds and under adult feathers

is restricted to a single bird species rather than many birds or animals
down feather
vsgoose down
1 3.2

A very soft feather under a bird's outer feathers that keeps the bird warm

is from one specific bird species rather than from birds generally
swan's down
vsgoose down
8.2

Soft fine feathers under a swan's outer feathers used to fill clothes or bedding

is sourced from a different bird species than the one described
duck down
vsgoose down
2.8

Soft fine feathers from a duck used to fill warm bedding and clothing

is from a different bird species rather than that particular water bird
swansdown
vsgoose down
  • Archaic
8.2

A soft filling that people make from swan feathers and use in clothing and bedding

refers to raw feathers themselves rather than the prepared material

How Warm

eiderdown
1 8.8
goose down
3 3.8
duck down
2.8
wool
140 1.0
batting
  • Specialized
5 4.2
fiberfill
  • US
3.9

Surface Forms

goose down singular
goose downs plural

Morphology

goose + down

The meaning 'soft insulating feathers from a goose used as filling' is directly and compositionally derived from 'goose' (the bird of origin) + 'down' (fine insulating feathers). This noun–noun compound denotes material/source in a regular, cross-linguistic way, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Goose down comes from the very soft, fine feathers found under a goose's outer feathers. Those tiny feathers trap air and keep the bird warm, so down came to mean the light, 'soft, warm' filling used in jackets and duvets.