barbel

bar·bel ¹  (bärbl)

n.

One of the slender, whiskerlike tactile organs extending from the head of certain fishes, such as catfishes. Also called barb¹.

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[Obsolete French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin barbula, diminutive of Late Latin barbus, beard, from Latin barba; see bhardh-- in Indo-European roots.]

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barbel

Noun

1. a long thin growth that hangs from the jaws of certain fishes, such as the carp

2. a freshwater fish with such a growth [Latin barba beard]

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barbel  (bärbl)

A slender, whiskerlike feeler extending from the head of certain fish, such as the catfish. It is used for touch and taste.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

barbel - slender tactile process on the jaws of a fish feeler tentacle - any of various elongated tactile or prehensile flexible organs that occur on the head or near the mouth in many animals; used for feeling or grasping or locomotion