Duvet

For the goldsmith and engraver, see Jean Duvet. For the song by Bôa, see The Race of a Thousand Camels.

A bed with a duvet

A duvet (UK: /ˈduːveɪ/ DOO-vay, US: /duːˈveɪ/ doo-VAY;[1][2] from French duvet [dyvɛ] 'down'), usually called a comforter or (down-filled) quilt in American English,[3][4][5] and a doona in Australian English,[6] is a type of bedding consisting of a soft flat bag filled with either down, feathers, wool, cotton, silk, or a synthetic alternative, and is typically protected with a removable cover, analogous to a pillow and pillow case. The term duvet is mainly British,[7] especially in reference to the bedding; rarely used in US English, it often refers to the cover. Sleepers often use a duvet without a top bed sheet, as the duvet cover can readily be removed and laundered as often as the bottom sheet.

Duvets (known there as eiderdowns, in translation) originated in rural Europe[citation needed] and were filled with the down feathers of ducks or geese. The best quality feathers are taken from the eider duck, which is known for its effectiveness as a thermal insulator. Prior to the uptake of the duvet as a popular bedding option in Britain from the 1970s onwards, the British "eiderdown", while also a feather-filled object, was essentially thinner than its "continental" equivalent and was used on top of a regular sheet and blankets for extra warmth when needed, and thus did not simplify the process of making the bed.

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  2. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  3. ^ "duvet". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  4. ^ "duvet: Meaning and Definition of". Infoplease. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Duvets v eiderdowns – the royal household takes it to the mattresses". The Guardian. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Doona, n.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 29 April 2022. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  7. ^ "duvet". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. n.d. Retrieved 15 February 2022. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link).