/bahr"beuhl/ , n.
1. a slender, external process on the jaw or other part of the head of certain fishes.
2. any of various cyprinoid fishes of the genus Barbus, esp. B. barbus, of European waters.
[ 1400-1450; late ME barbell barbel (F barbeau ) barbellus, equiv. to LL barb ( us ) a barbel (fish) (akin to L barba BEARD) + L -ellus -ELLE ]