barbel (barb) Carp-like freshwater fish of w Asia and s central Europe. A game and food fish, it has an elongated body, flattened underside, and two pairs of fleshy mouth whiskers (barbels). Length: 50–90cm (20–35in); weight: 16kg (35lb). Family Cyprinidae; species Barbus barbus.

bar·bel / ˈbärbəl/ • n. 1. a fleshy filament growing from the mouth or snout of a fish. 2. a large European freshwater fish (Barbus barbus) of the minnow family that has such filaments hanging from its mouth.

barbel freshwater fish with fleshy filaments hanging from mouth XV; such a filament in any fish XVII. — OF. barbel (mod. barbeau) :- late L. barbellus, dim. of barbus barbel, f. barba BEARD.

barbel A fleshy protuberance near the mouth of some fish, especially suctorial feeders (e.g. sturgeons and catfish). Basically a sensory structure, it is provided with tactile and chemical receptor cells, and is therefore useful in the location of food.