How Do You Spell QUILL?

Pronunciation: [kwˈɪl] (IPA)

The word "quill" is spelled with a Q-U-I-L-L. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced /kwɪl/. The sound "kw" is produced by a velar stop followed by a labiovelar approximant. The "i" is pronounced as a short /ɪ/ as in "sit", and the "l" is pronounced as an alveolar lateral approximant /l/. The word refers to the feather of a bird, often used as a writing instrument in the past. The spelling and pronunciation of this word have remained consistent over time.

Meaning and Definition
Top Common Misspellings
Other Common Misspellings
Etymology
Similar spelling words
Conjugate verb
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QUILL Meaning and Definition

  1. A quill, in its most basic sense, refers to a writing instrument made from a feather. Historically, quills were crafted from the flight feathers of birds, particularly those of large birds such as geese, swans, or crows. The process of preparing a quill for use involves carefully removing the barbs and vane from the feather, leaving only the hollow, tubular shaft intact.

    The quill serves as both the handle and the reservoir for ink. To write with a quill, one would dip the tip of the quill into ink and rely on capillary action to draw the ink upwards into the hollow shaft. This method allowed for controlled and precise writing, as the quill's fine, tapered point enabled individuals to create thin, delicate lines.

    Throughout history, quills were widely used as writing instruments, predating the invention of the metal-nibbed pen. They were indispensable tools for scribes, scholars, and calligraphers, and even played a role in the signing of important documents such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

    In contemporary usage, the term "quill" can also encompass any pen made with a similar design and purpose, even if it is not crafted from a feather. Many modern quills are manufactured from materials such as metal or plastic and are designed to mimic the traditional feather quills in appearance and function. The quill remains an enduring symbol of the written word and an integral part of the rich history of writing.

  2. • One of the large strong feathers of a goose or other large bird, used in making pens for writing; an instrument for writing; the spine of a porcupine; the piece of reed on which weavers wind the thread which is to form the woof of cloth.
    • To plait or form with small quill-like ridges; to wind on a quill, as thread or yarn.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for QUILL *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for QUILL

Etymology of QUILL

The word "quill" has its roots in Old English, where it was spelled as "cwell", meaning a feather. This Old English word can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "kwel", which also meant feather. The development of the word "quill" can be seen in Middle English as "quil", and later transformed to its current spelling and pronunciation. Overall, the etymology of the word "quill" indicates its origin as a word for a feather.

Similar spelling words for QUILL

Conjugate verb Quill

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have quilled
you would have quilled
he/she/it would have quilled
we would have quilled
they would have quilled
I would have quill
you would have quill
he/she/it would have quill
we would have quill
they would have quill

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been quilling
you would have been quilling
he/she/it would have been quilling
we would have been quilling
they would have been quilling

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would quill
you would quill
he/she/it would quill
we would quill
they would quill

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be quilling
you would be quilling
he/she/it would be quilling
we would be quilling
they would be quilling

FUTURE

I will quill
you will quill
he/she/it will quill
we will quill
they will quill

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be quilling
you will be quilling
he/she/it will be quilling
we will be quilling
they will be quilling

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have quilled
you will have quilled
he/she/it will have quilled
we will have quilled
they will have quilled

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been quilling
you will have been quilling
he/she/it will have been quilling
we will have been quilling
they will have been quilling

IMPERATIVE

you quill
we let´s quill

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to quill

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was quilling
you were quilling
he/she/it was quilling
we were quilling
they were quilling

PAST PARTICIPLE

quilled

PAST PERFECT

I had quilled
you had quilled
he/she/it had quilled
we had quilled
they had quilled

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been quilling
you had been quilling
he/she/it had been quilling
we had been quilling
they had been quilling

PRESENT

I quill
you quill
he/she/it quills
we quill
they quill

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am quilling
you are quilling
he/she/it is quilling
we are quilling
they are quilling

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

quilling

PRESENT PERFECT

I have quilled
you have quilled
he/she/it has quilled
we have quilled
they have quilled

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been quilling
you have been quilling
he/she/it has been quilling
we have been quilling
they have been quilling

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it quill

SIMPLE PAST

I quilled
you quilled
he/she/it quilled
we quilled
they quilled

Infographic

Correct spelling for quill
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