Barnacles are small shellfish that fix themselves tightly to rocks and the bottoms of boats.
barnacle in British English
(ˈbɑːnəkəl)
noun
1.
any of various marine crustaceans of the subclass Cirripedia that, as adults, live attached to rocks, ship bottoms, etc. They have feathery food-catching cirri protruding from a hard shell
acorn barnacle, goose barnacle
2.
a person or thing that is difficult to get rid of
Derived forms
barnacled (ˈbarnacled)
adjective
Word origin
C16: related to Late Latin bernicla, of obscure origin
barnacle in American English
(ˈbɑrnəkəl)
noun
1.
barnacle goose
2.
any member of various orders of saltwater cirriped crustaceans that cement themselves to rocks, wharves, ship bottoms, etc. and to other animals, as whales, after a free-swimming larval stage
3.
a person or thing hard to get rid of
Derived forms
barnacled (ˈbarnacled)
adjective
Word origin
ME bernacle, earlier bernak < MIr bairnech & Bret bernik, kind of shellfish: ult. via Gaul *berna, split < IE base *bher-, to slit
Examples of 'barnacle' in a sentence
barnacle
They bought ice cream, a milk shake, and a beer, and Dasha clung to Alexander's arm like a barnacle.
Paullina Simons THE BRONZE HORSEMAN (2001)
Word lists with
barnacle
crustacean
All related terms of 'barnacle'
acorn barnacle
any of various barnacles , such as Balanus balanoides, that live attached to rocks and have a volcano-shaped shell from the top of which protrude feathery food-catching appendages ( cirri )
barnacle goose
a N European goose , Branta leucopsis , that has a black-and-white head and body and grey wings
goose barnacle
any barnacle of the genus Lepas, living attached by a stalk to pieces of wood, having long feathery appendages ( cirri ) and flattened shells
gooseneck barnacle
→ goose barnacle
bargoose
a N European goose , Branta leucopsis , that has a black-and-white head and body and grey wings