Barbel
/ˈbɑːr.bəl/noun
A freshwater fish of the carp family, or a small whisker-like sensory organ on a fish or catfish.
Did you know?The name comes from Latin *barbula*, a diminutive of *barba* (“beard”), because the fish’s whisker-like feelers looked like little beards.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰardʰ-
“A root associated with beard or facial hair.”
Latin
Latin
barba
“Beard.”
Late Latin
Latin
barbula
“Little beard; small beard-like appendage.”
Old French
Old French
barbel
“A barbel fish; also a small beard-like projection.”
Middle English
English
barbel
“A fish with whisker-like appendages; later also the appendage itself.”