feather in one's cap
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feather in one's cap
Where it comes from
The placing of a feather in a hat has been a symbol of achievement that has arisen in several cultures, apparently independently. The English writer and traveller Richard Hansard recorded it in his Description of Hungary, 1599:
"It hath been an antient custom among them [Hungarians] that none should wear a fether but he who had killed a Turk, to whom onlie yt was lawful to shew the number of his slaine enemys by the number of fethers in his cappe."
The Native American tradition of adding a feather to the head-dress of any warrior who performed a brave act is well known.
noun feathers in one's cap
-
An accomplishment; particularly one that is flaunted or boasted of.
He thinks it is quite a feather in his cap that he figured it out for himself.
Similar: plume, notch in one's belt
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see feather, cap. He wore a feather in his cap, and wagg'd it too often.
Translations
Every language
noun recognized accomplishment
| Español | triunfo personal |
|---|---|
| Français | fierté, accomplissement |
Talk about this word "feather in one's cap." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/feather%20in%20one's%20cap. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. feather in one's cap. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/feather%20in%20one's%20cap "feather in one's cap." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/feather%20in%20one's%20cap.Cite this
@misc{feather_in_one_s_cap_2026,
title = {feather in one's cap},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/feather%20in%20one's%20cap},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
