whisker

noun

whis·ker | \ ˈhwi-skər

, ˈwi-\

Definition of whisker

1a : a hair of the beard

b whiskers plural

(1) archaic : mustache

(2) : the part of the beard growing on the sides of the face or on the chin

c : hairbreadth lost the race by a whisker

2 : one of the long projecting hairs or bristles growing near the mouth of an animal (such as a cat or bird)

3 : an outrigger extending on each side of the bowsprit to spread the jib and flying jib guys —usually used in plural

4a : a shred or filament resembling a whisker

b : a thin hairlike crystal (as of sapphire or copper) of exceptional mechanical strength used especially to reinforce composite structural material

Other Words from whisker Example Sentences Learn More about whisker

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Other Words from whisker

whiskered \ ˈhwi-skərd

, ˈwi- \ adjective

whiskery \ ˈhwi-sk(ə-)rē

, ˈwi- \ adjective

Examples of whisker in a Sentence

He won the race by a whisker.

Recent Examples on the Web

With white bellies and long whiskers, the invasive blue cats have been appearing in recent years in rivers and creeks up and down the Chesapeake Bay. — Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "As blue catfish multiply in Chesapeake Bay, watermen pursue new catch — and restaurants offer new delicacy," 7 June 2019 The whiskers, a holdover from their land-roving days, have been repurposed to detect minute disturbances in water. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Military Could Track Objects Underwater With Seal Whiskers," 13 Aug. 2018 Use buttercream to attach a pink jellybean nose and press in chocolate sprinkle whiskers. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Spring Animal Cupcakes," 7 Mar. 2019 How can a person look in a 10-times magnification mirror, with glasses on, before going out to a lunch-bunch party then return and glance at the same mirror, still with glasses on, and see a single whisker on one’s chin or a zit on one’s nose? — Marcy Meffert, San Antonio Express-News, "It’s not you; it’s the Twilight Zone and your pills," 22 June 2018 Thus provisioned, Hyundai’s mini-ute outdistances the Bolt (238 miles), the Jaguar I-Pace (234) and even comes within a whisker of Tesla’s base Model 3 (260). — Dan Neil, WSJ, "2019 Hyundai Kona Electric: Good EVs Are No Longer Shocking," 1 Nov. 2018 Princess Madeleine also got into the spirit, with black cat ears and some painted-on whiskers. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Sweden's Princess Madeleine Took Her Kids Trick-or-Treating in Florida," 1 Nov. 2018 The upstarts sell everything from standard stouts, sours and pale ales to coconut curry wheat beer, avocado honey ale and beard beer, made with yeast brushed from a brewmaster’s whiskers. — Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, "Beer Makers’ Steps to Mitigate Climate Change Might Not Be Enough, Study Shows," 15 Oct. 2018 Scientists in the United States and South Korea are working to fully understand how whisker tech works. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Military Could Track Objects Underwater With Seal Whiskers," 13 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whisker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.