{ Ai"gret (&?;), Ai*grette (&?;), } n. [F., a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.] 1. (Zoöl.) The small white European heron. See Egret.

2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. Prescott.

3. A tuft like that of the egret. (Bot.) A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.