vibrissa (redirected from vibrissae)

vi·bris·sa  (v-brs, v-)

n. pl. vi·bris·sae (-brs)

1. Any of the long stiff hairs that project from the snout or brow of most mammals, as the whiskers of a cat.

2. One of several long modified feathers that grow along the gape of the mouth of insect-eating birds.

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[From Late Latin vibrissae, nostril hairs, from vibrre, to vibrate; see vibrate.]

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vibrissa [vaɪˈbrɪsə]

n pl -sae [-siː] (usually plural)

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) any of the bristle-like sensitive hairs on the face of many mammals; a whisker

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Zoology) any of the specialized bristle-like feathers around the beak in certain insectivorous birds

[from Latin, probably from vibrāre to shake]

vibrissal  adj

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vibrissa  (v-brs, v-)

Plural vibrissae (v-brs, v-)

1. Any of the long, stiff, bristlelike hairs that project from the snout or brow of most mammals, as the whiskers of a cat or rat. Vibrissae often serve as tactile organs, especially in nocturnal animals and marine mammals such as seals and manatees.

2. Any of several long modified feathers that grow along the sides of the beak of certain birds and help trap insects caught in flight.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

vibrissa - a long stiff hair growing from the snout or brow of most mammals as e.g. a cat sensory hair, whisker hair - a filamentous projection or process on an organism