barbel

(redirected from barbels)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.

bar·bel 1

 (bär′bəl)
n.
One of the slender, whiskerlike tactile organs extending from the head of certain fishes, such as catfishes. Also called barb1.
[Obsolete French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin barbula, diminutive of Late Latin barbus, beard, from Latin barba; see bhardh-ā- in Indo-European roots.]

bar·bel 2

 (bär′bəl)
n.
Any of several freshwater cyprinid fishes of the genus Barbus of Eurasia and Africa, especially B. barbus, having four barbels on the upper jaw.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin *barbellus, diminutive of barbus, from Latin barba, beard; see barbel1.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

barbel

(ˈbɑːbəl)
n
1. (Zoology) any of several slender tactile spines or bristles that hang from the jaws of certain fishes, such as the catfish and carp
2. (Animals) any of several European cyprinid fishes of the genus Barbus, esp B. barbus, that resemble the carp but have a longer body and pointed snout
[C14: from Old French, from Latin barbus, from barba beard]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bar•bel

(ˈbɑr bəl)

n.
1. a slender, external process on the head of certain fishes.
2. Also called barb. any European cyprinid fish of the genus Barbus, esp. B. barbus, having such processes.
[1400–1450; late Middle English barbell < Middle French barbel < Vulgar Latin *barbellus a weightlifting]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

bar·bel

(bär′bəl)
A slender, whisker-like feeler extending from the head of certain fish, such as the catfish. It is used for touch and taste.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.barbel - slender tactile process on the jaws of a fishbarbel - 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
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

barbel

[ˈbɑːbəl] N
1. (Anat) → barbilla f, cococha f
2. (= fish) → barbo m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

barbel

n (fish) → Barbe f; (= filament on fish) → Bartel f, → Bartfaden m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
I have taken a barbel that weighs at least thirty pounds, and more than fifty mullets; I have also some little whitings that will fry beautifully."
View in context
6.1-8.8% SL, respectively) and mandibular barbels (inner mandibular barbel length 9.3-17.3 vs.
A new species of glyptosternine catfish (Siluriformes: Sisoridae) from Yomgo River, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Perifacial rim terminating in acute-angled spine; rostral exsertions wider than interspace, often convergent; nasal spines weak or absent; chin and lip barbels prominent; filamentous barbel short, rarely reaching to eye (Fig.
A new fish, Peristedion nesium (Scorpaeniformes: Peristediidae) from Isla del Coco, Costa Rica

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?