Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of barbel.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Those spiky things are feelers called barbels that the hagfish uses to feel its way around the ocean.

    Archive 2007-07-01 Doppelganger 2007

  • Those spiky things are feelers called barbels that the hagfish uses to feel its way around the ocean.

    Your Challenge for the Day Doppelganger 2007

  • He greeted Otto with a scratch under the chin between his barbels.

    The Search For WondLa Tony DiTerlizzi 2010

  • Flies danced on the dried white saliva that was caked on its chin and barbels.

    The Search For WondLa Tony DiTerlizzi 2010

  • So by way of a counterpoint some Siluriformes stay small, are colourful, remorslessly active, have beautiful flowing sensitive barbels, prefer fish food to c**p and like to cuddle up in groups.

    PodCastle » PodCastle 55: Bottom Feeding 2009

  • Taste buds are located not only in the mouth of the channel catfish but all over its body — more than 30,000 per square inch along its flanks, although the highest concentrations are in the mud-raking barbels.

    Field and Stream Guide: The Channel Catfish 2005

  • The amazing thing about the clip is that the fish has been filmed with its barbels (feelers) extended out in front of it.

    Boing Boing: December 11, 2005 - December 17, 2005 Archives 2005

  • The channel catfish uses its highly sensitive barbels to help locate food and to cautiously inspect it prior to ingestion.

    Field and Stream Guide: The Channel Catfish 2005

  • BARBELS Sensitive barbels allow the sturgeon to identify food on the river floor or seabed as it hunts.

    A Field Guide to White Sturgeon 2004

  • It was ugly in the face with its tiny eyes and pale barbels run out from its mouth and wagging in the current.

    Cold Mountain Frazier, Charles, 1950- Cold Mountain 2003

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