Coq Feathers

Coq (alternatively coque), a word of French origin meaning cockerel or rooster (a male game bird), is a term to describe the feathers from domestic fowl used for (a) trimming women’s hats, or (b) fly tying and fly fishing. The specialized feathers used for this purpose are often referred to formally as coquilles. The idea for this entry came from the list of English words containing Q but not followed by U.