thistledown
Weed's airborne seeds
Thistledown is the light, fluffy material attached to thistle seeds, designed to carry them on the wind.
It consists of fine, silky fibers that form a wispy tuft.
The word evokes extreme lightness: Her hair was soft as thistledown.
Thistledown drifting through summer air is a familiar pastoral image.
Carried by air currents
- driftingMoving without purpose
- floatingStaying atop liquid
- waftingFloating through air
- aloftHigh in the air
buoyant · sailing · gliding · dispersal · scattering · seed · parachute · pappus
Filmy, delicate material
- wispyThin and insubstantial
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
- diaphanousDelicately translucent
- featheryLight and soft-textured
airy · fragile · filamentous · fine · tenuous · gauzy · sheer · cobwebby
Soft and light-textured
- silkySmooth and lustrous
- cottonySoft and fibrous
- plushThick-pile soft fabric
- featheryLight and soft-textured
velvety · cloudlike · pillowy · gentle · tender · smooth · supple · brushing
Passing very quickly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- evanescentTending to vanish quickly
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- passingMoving by or temporary
vanishing · fading · impermanent · brief · short-lived · dissipating · disappearing · elusive
windborne
Carried by air currents
aloft · buoyant · sailing · gliding · dispersal · scattering · seed · parachute · pappus · dandelion
gossamer
Filmy, delicate material
- wispyThin and insubstantial
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
- diaphanousDelicately translucent
feathery · airy · fragile · filamentous · fine · tenuous · gauzy · sheer · cobwebby · insubstantial
fluffy
Soft and light-textured
feathery · velvety · cloudlike · pillowy · gentle · tender · smooth · supple · brushing · tickling
fleeting
Passing very quickly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- evanescentTending to vanish quickly
- momentaryLasting very briefly
passing · vanishing · fading · impermanent · brief · short-lived · dissipating · disappearing · elusive · intangible
- Delicate Thingsbutterfly wing, spider web, bubble, soap bubble, eggshell