A duvet (/ˈdjuːveɪ/, /ˈduːveɪ/, or US: /duːˈveɪ/; from the French duvet [dyvɛ] "down") is a type of bedding consisting of a soft flat bag filled with down, feathers, wool, silk or a synthetic alternative, and typically protected with a removable cover, analogous to a pillow and pillow case. 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 originated in rural Europe and were filled with the down feathers of ducks. The best quality is taken from the eider duck, often while still alive, for its down is known for its effectiveness as a thermal insulator.
In Australian English, a duvet is also called a doona (from a trade mark, from Danish dyne, quilt, related to dun, down). In American English, it may be called a comforter; however, a comforter is usually a slightly different type of bedding that is not as thick, does not have a cover, and is often used over a top sheet. In the United Kingdom a duvet was known as a continental quilt from the time of its introduction from continental Europe in the 1960s until the mid-1970s.