vibrissa

Vi*bris"sa, n.; pl. Vibrissæ. Etym: [L. vibrissae, pl., the hairs in the nostrils of man, fr. vibrare to vibrate; -- so called because touching them tickles a person, and causes him to shake his head.] 1. (Anat.) Defn: One of the specialized or tactile hairs which grow about the nostrils, or on other parts of the face, in many animals, as the so- called whiskers of the cat, and the hairs of the nostrils of man. 2. (Zoöl.) Defn: The bristlelike feathers near the mouth of many birds.

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