vibrissa
noun
one of the stiff, bristly hairs growing about the mouth of certain animals, as a whisker of a cat.
vibrissae
-
pluralof vibrissa.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These vibrissae help to compensate for a cat’s less-than-stellar close vision.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 2, 2024
The idea that our nose hairs, known medically as vibrissae, might offer protection against infectious germs goes back more than a century.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 1, 2021
Along with insulation, hair can serve as a sensory mechanism via specialized hairs called vibrissae, better known as whiskers.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Hair also serves as a sensory mechanism through specialized hairs called vibrissae, better known as whiskers.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013
“I thought that the vibrissae about my nostrils detected something unique while I was outside.”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
