barbule
/ˈbɑːbjuːl
/noun
A minute filament projecting from the barb of a feather.Well known examples include the structural colors produced by brilliant iridescent butterfly wing scales and avian feather barbules, such as the peacocks tail....
- The strongly iridescent colors of bird feathers are produced by arrays of melanin granules in the barbules of feathers.
- The barbs, in turn, may bear barbules which may hook on to the barbules of an adjoining barb.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Latin barbula, diminutive of barba 'beard'.
- paragraphism
- paragraphist
- paragraphize
- paragraph mark
- paragraph symbol
- Para grass
- Paraguay
- Paraguayan
- Paraguay River
- Paraguay tea
- paragutta
- paraheliotropic
- paraheliotropism
- parahelium
- parahippocampal
- parahopeite
- parahormone
- parahuman
- parahydrogen
- parahypnosis
- parainfluenza
- parajournalism
- parajournalist
- parajump
- parajumping