noun
- a slender, whisker-like sensory organ near the mouth of certain fish
- a large European freshwater fish with barbels around its mouth
Examples
- The catfish used its barbels to feel around the muddy bottom for food.
- Barbels help fish detect chemicals and vibrations in the water.
- The carp’s barbels twitched as it searched for insects.
- Anglers often target barbel in fast-flowing rivers.
- The barbel is prized by European sport fishermen.
- You can identify a barbel by the four whiskers around its mouth.