barbel

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bar=bel

CIDE DICTIONARY

barbel, n. [OF. barbel, F. barbeau, dim. of L. barbus barbel, fr. barba beard. See 1st Barb.].

•  A slender tactile organ on the lips of certain fishes.  [1913 Webster]
•  A large fresh-water fish (Barbus vulgaris) found in many European rivers. Its upper jaw is furnished with four barbels.  [1913 Webster]
•  Barbs or paps under the tongues of horses and cattle. See 1st Barb, 3.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

barbel, n.
1 any large European freshwater fish of the genus Barbus, with fleshy filaments hanging from its mouth.
2 such a filament growing from the mouth of any fish.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. LL barbellus dimin. of barbus barbel f. barba beard

THESAURUS

barbel

antenna, barb, barbule, bristle, cat whisker, feeler, palp, palpus, setula, setule, striga, stubble, tactile cell, tactile corpuscle, tactile hair, tactile organ, tactile process, tactor, vibrissa