barbel

[ bahr-buhl ]

/ ˈbɑr bəl /

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noun

a slender, external process on the jaw or other part of the head of certain fishes.

any of various cyprinoid fishes of the genus Barbus, especially B. barbus, of European waters.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of barbel

1400–1450; late Middle English barbell<Middle French barbel (French barbeau) <Vulgar Latin *barbellus, equivalent to Late Latin barb(us) a barbel (fish) (akin to Latin barbabeard) + Latin -ellus-elle

Words nearby barbel

barbecue stopper, barbed, barbed tributary, barbed wire, barbed-wire grass, barbel, barbell, barbellate, barbeque, barber, Barbera

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use barbel in a sentence

In the former are several varieties, and some of enormous size, resembling the barbel.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 13, Issue 377, June 27, 1829|Various
Barbel, roach, club, and gudgeon are plentiful round the Bell Weir; and trout are often taken.
Rivers of Great Britain. The Thames, from Source to Sea.|Anonymous
Head, about one-fifth the whole length; snout, very blunt, with a small barbel on the lower lip.
Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast|Harry Thom Payne
Each maxillary is provided with a small barbel; and the gill-covers are armed with short stiff spines.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5|Various

Though called the salmon of India, the mahseer is really a species of barbel.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 4|Various

British Dictionary definitions for barbel

barbel

/ (ˈbɑːbəl) /

noun

any of several slender tactile spines or bristles that hang from the jaws of certain fishes, such as the catfish and carp

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

Word Origin for barbel

C14: from Old French, from Latin barbus, from barba beard

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for barbel

barbel

[ bär′bəl ]

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

barbel

Origin of barbel

Words nearby barbel

Words related to barbel

How to use barbel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for barbel

Word Origin for barbel

Scientific definitions for barbel