\Vi*bris"sa\, n.; pl. {Vibriss[ae]}. [L. vibrissae,
pl., the hairs in the nostrils of man, fr. vibrare to
vibrate; -- so called because touching them tickles a person,
and causes him to shake his head.]
1. (Anat.) One of the specialized or tactile hairs which grow
   about the nostrils, or on other parts of the face, in many
   animals, as the so-called whiskers of the cat, and the
   hairs of the nostrils of man.
2. (Zo["o]l.) The bristlelike feathers near the mouth of many
   birds.