1. a small hooked projection on the barbule of a bird’s feather that interlocks with adjacent barbules to form the feather’s smooth surface
Usage: ornithology; technical

Examples

• The barbicels on each barbule hook together to create the feather’s unified structure.
• When barbicels are damaged, the feather appears ruffled and loses its aerodynamic properties.
• Microscopic examination revealed the intricate barbicels that give bird feathers their strength.
• The preening behavior of birds helps realign barbicels that have become separated.
• Scientists study barbicels to understand how feathers maintain their waterproof qualities.
• Each barbicel is only visible under magnification but plays a crucial role in flight.