n.
Pronunciation: ' bär-b ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *barbellus, diminutive of Latin barbus barbel, from barba beard ― more at BEARD
Date: 14th century
: a European freshwater cyprinid fish ( Barbus barbus ) with four barbels on its upper jaw also : any of various closely related fishes