n. 1 any of various species of small marine crustaceans of the class Cirripedia which in adult form cling to rocks, ships' bottoms, etc. 2 a tenacious attendant or follower who cannot easily be shaken off. barnacle goose an Arctic goose, Branta leucopsis, which visits Britain in winter. barnacled adj.
[ ME bernak (= med.L bernaca), of unkn. orig. ]