barnacle

noun

bar·​na·​cle ˈbär-ni-kəl 

1

: barnacle goose

2

[from a popular belief that the goose grew from the crustacean] : any of numerous marine crustaceans (subclass Cirripedia) with feathery appendages for gathering food that are free-swimming as larvae but permanently fixed (as to rocks, boat hulls, or whales) as adults

barnacled

ˈbär-ni-kəld 

adjective

Illustration of barnacle

• 1 peduncle
• 2 cirri

Examples of barnacle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tanya is no one to Belinda — a barnacle of a past life that never materialized. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025

Majestic gray whales migrate off the California coast in spring and, like barnacles hoping to latch on, thousands of people flock to see them. —John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025

Between the lines: The sculpture was inspired by barnacle colonies growing beneath the pier and vintage postcards showing blue- and white-striped beach umbrellas that once dotted the beaches of Tampa Bay, per Echelman's website. —Kathryn Varn, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025

Washington is unlikely to suffer so stark a fate, given the many barnacles that have attached themselves to its economy beyond the bureaucracy. —Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English barnakille, alteration of bernake, bernekke

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing barnacle

• barnacle goose

Kids Definition

barnacle

noun

bar·​na·​cle ˈbär-ni-kəl 

: any of numerous small saltwater crustaceans with feathery outgrowths for gathering food that are free-swimming as larvae but as adults are permanently fastened (as to rocks or the bottoms of ships)

barnacled

-kəld 

adjective