whisker
English
/ʍɪskə(ɹ)/
noun
Definitions
- That part of the beard which grows upon the sides of the face, usually of the male, or upon the chin, or upon both.
- A hair of the beard.
- One of the long, projecting hairs growing at the sides of the mouth of a cat, or other animal.
- (colloquial) The (very small) distance between two things.
- (nautical) Spreaders from the bows to spread the bowsprit shrouds.
- (statistics) A graphic element that shows the maxima and minima in a box plot.
- One who, or that which, whisks, or moves with a quick, sweeping motion.
- (metallurgy) A small tendril that forms on metal.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English wisker affix from English whisk.
Origin
English
whisk
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- bewhisker English
- bewhiskered English
- dewhisker English
- eggwhisk English
- flywhisk English
- interwhisker English
- nanowhisker English
- tin English
- tin whisker English
- unwhiskered English
- whisk English
- whiskbroom English
- whiskered English
- whiskeriness English
- whiskering English
- whiskerless English
- whiskerlike English
- whiskery English
- wisker Middle English
- visk Old Norse
- wiska Kriol