American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition - n. Any of the long stiff hairs that project from the
snout or brow of most mammals, as the whiskers of a cat. - n.
One of several long modified feathers that grow along the gape
of the mouth of insect-eating birds. Century Dictionary and
Cyclopedia - In mammalogy, one of the long, stiff bristles which
grow upon the upper lip and elsewhere upon the head of most
mammals; a whisker, as of a cat. They are tactile organs, or
feelers, and are sometimes called tactile hairs(pili tactiles).
There is a popular notion that the whiskers reach out just far
enough on each side to enable the animal to judge whether a hole
or other close passage is large enough for it to pass through,
and very probably this is true in many cases. See cuts under
mouse, ocelot, panther, serval, tiger, and tiger-cat. - In
ornithology, a rictal bristle; one of the special set of long,
slender, bristle-like or bristly feathers, devoid of vexilla
proper, which grow in a serie