preening
Self-admiring grooming behavior
Preening is the act of grooming, especially when birds smooth and arrange their feathers with their beaks.
Extended to humans, preening suggests fussy self-admiration—adjusting clothes, fixing hair, or generally primping: She spent twenty minutes preening in front of the mirror.
The word often carries a note of vanity or self-satisfaction: He was preening after the compliment.
Ornate pheasant relative
- struttingWalking with exaggerated pride
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
mating · ritual · flamboyance · spectacle · pageantry · exhibitionism · ostentation · parade
Bird's lightweight covering
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
- oil glandOrgan secreting sebum
- groomingSelf-care for appearance
ruffling · smoothing · barbs · down · quill · shaft · vane · molting
Fussing over appearance
- mirrorReflective viewing surface
- brushingSweeping motion with bristles
- smoothingReducing irregularities systematically
- fussingAnxious, trivial agitation
adjusting · tidying · styling · posturing · self-care · perfecting · fixing · straightening
Excessive regard for oneself
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
- vainExcessively proud or futile
egotism · self-satisfaction · arrogance · haughtiness · self-regard · self-absorption · posing · self-obsession
peacock
Ornate pheasant relative
- struttingWalking with exaggerated pride
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
- showmanshipSkill at impressive presentation
plumage · mating · ritual · flamboyance · spectacle · pageantry · exhibitionism · ostentation · parade · fanfare
feathers
Bird's lightweight covering
grooming · ruffling · smoothing · barbs · down · quill · shaft · vane · molting · avian
primping
Fussing over appearance
- mirrorReflective viewing surface
- brushingSweeping motion with bristles
- smoothingReducing irregularities systematically
fussing · adjusting · tidying · styling · posturing · self-care · perfecting · fixing · straightening · patting
self-admiration
Excessive regard for oneself
- narcissismExcessive admiration of oneself
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
vain · egotism · self-satisfaction · arrogance · haughtiness · self-regard · self-absorption · posing · self-obsession · superficiality
- Beautifyingmakeover, decoration, adornment, embellishment, beautification
- bird behaviorsflying, soaring, perching, nesting, migrating
- bird traitsfeathered, plumed, plumage, plumaged, beaky
- body languagegestures, facial expressions, hand gestures, posture, nodding
- egotismarrogant, conceited, egocentric, egomaniac, egotist
- flirtingpickup line, wink, winking, hair flip, chat-up line
preeningdisheveled
Untidy in appearance
unkempt · slovenly · scruffy · bedraggled · messy
preeninghumble
Unassuming about oneself
modest · self-deprecating · self-effacing · unassuming · self-critical
preeninghiding
Staying out of sight
withdrawing · unobtrusive · cowering · inconspicuous · wallflower