aftershafted

adjective

Meaning

Possessing an aftershaft, a small accessory feather attached to the base of the main feather shaft.

Examples

  • The downy feathers on the bird's belly are distinctly aftershafted.
  • Ornithologists examine whether a species is aftershafted to help identify its evolutionary lineage.

Synonyms: feathered, plumose, pennaceous, barbate