whisker
noun
whis·ker
| \ ˈhwi-skər
, ˈwi-\
, ˈwi-\
Definition of whisker
1a
: a hair of the beard
b whiskers plural
(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
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Other Words from whisker
whiskered
\ ˈhwi-skərd
, ˈwi- \
adjective
, ˈwi- \
adjective
whiskery
\ ˈhwi-sk(ə-)rē
, ˈwi- \
adjective
, ˈwi- \
adjective
Examples of whisker in a Sentence
He won the race by a whisker.
Recent Examples on the Web
And Stacey Abrams came within a whisker of beating Brian Kemp in the governor’s race. — The Economist, "How Johnny Isakson’s resignation could help Democrats flip the Senate," 29 Aug. 2019 With twitching whiskers and staccato-like movements, the nocturnal rodent searches for seeds and grain to store in its cheek pouches. — Ben Brazil, Daily Pilot, "The Dana Point Headlands is setting an example for how conservation can be done in urban areas," 27 July 2019 Janelle Shoihet, who led the briefing, that included whiskers and cat ears. — Abby Vesoulis, Time, "Canadian Police Accidentally Livestream Double Homicide Press Conference Using Facebook's Cat Filter," 21 July 2019 Sea lions almost disappeared into the maw of westward expansion, taken by the tens of thousands for their fur, whiskers, and testicles, which were used for medicine. — Sallie Tisdale, Harper's magazine, "Catechism of the Waters," 10 June 2019 One’s fluffy, with big ears and whiskers; the other breathes with gills and ripples its way around the ocean. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "What a Walking Fish Can Teach Us About Human Evolution," 9 Feb. 2018 Last season, Brighton survived relegation from the Premier League by a whisker and will look to do the same in this upcoming campaign – albeit in a more convincing manner. — SI.com, "4 Brighton Youngsters Who Have Impressed During the Seagulls' Pre-Season Friendlies," 3 Aug. 2019 The duo then measured neural activity while observing the rodents' ability to notice subtle taps on their whiskers. — Diana Kwon, Scientific American, "“Metronome” Neurons Act Like Timekeepers in Mouse Brains," 18 July 2019 Kleinfeld is now using the tools developed for blood vessel networks to study neural networks in the brain stem, such as the sensorimotor loops that govern how rats move their whiskers and sense information. — Quanta Magazine, "In Natural Networks, Strength in Loops," 14 Aug. 2013These 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.
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More Definitions for whisker
whisker
noun
English Language Learners Definition of whisker
: a hair that grows on a man's face
: any one of the long, stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of some animals
informal
: a very small distance or amount
See the full definition for whisker in the English Language Learners Dictionary
whisker
noun
whis·ker
| \ ˈhwi-skər
, ˈwi-\
, ˈwi-\
Kids Definition of whisker
1
whiskers plural
: the part of the beard that grows on the sides of the face and on the chin
2
: one hair of the beard
3
: a long bristle or hair growing near the mouth of an animal (as a cat)
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