Definition

A type of decorative art that uses porcupine quills or bird feathers to create ornamental designs and patterns.

Example

The artist showcased her beautiful quillwork at the cultural festival.

Conversation

Have you ever seen any beautiful pieces of quillwork?

Yeah, I saw some at the art fair last summer; they were stunning!

I love how intricate the designs can be in quillwork.

Definitely! It's amazing how much detail they can achieve with those materials.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Quillwork is formed from "quill" (from Old English *cwell*, meaning a feather or pen) and "work" (from Old English *wyrcan*, meaning to make or do). The term refers to the art of creating decorative designs using quills or feathers, emphasizing the craftsmanship involved.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'feather' ('quill') being used to 'make' something ('work') beautiful — that's what quillwork is all about.

Visually Confused Words