barbicel
noun
bar·bi·cel
ˈbär-bə-ˌsel 
: any of the small hook-bearing processes on a barbule of a feather see feather illustration
Examples of barbicel in a Sentence
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If the microscopic hooks are indeed barbicels, this is the earliest evidence of a flight-capable feather that has ever been found.
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Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020
In modern birds, barbicels are the structures that allow flight feathers to retain their shape as birds flap their wings.
—Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020
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Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020
In modern birds, barbicels are the structures that allow flight feathers to retain their shape as birds flap their wings.
—Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Barbicel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbicel. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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