: any of the small hook-bearing processes on a barbule of a feather see feather illustration
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebIf the microscopic hooks are indeed barbicels, this is the earliest evidence of a flight-capable feather that has ever been found. Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020 In modern birds, barbicels are the structures that allow flight feathers to retain their shape as birds flap their wings. Rachel Fritts, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2020