whisker

noun

whis·​ker ˈ(h)wi-skər How to pronounce whisker (audio)
1
a
: a hair of the beard
b whiskers plural
(1)
archaic : mustache
(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
4
a
: 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
whiskered adjective
whiskery adjective

Examples of whisker in a Sentence

He won the race by a whisker.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Engineered by Colossal Biosciences, the mice have curly whiskers and hair that grows three times longer than that of typical lab mice. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025 Still, some of those whiskers were choice, and three films in particular, all of which were acquired for U.S. distribution during the event, struck me as worth putting on everyone’s radar now. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 She was found in the fire areas in Altadena with her whiskers singed off and burns all over her body, the shelter said in a Jan. 30 post. Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025 According to Cats Protection, blind cats rely heavily on their other senses, particularly their hearing and whiskers, to navigate their environment. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whisker

Word History

Etymology

singular of whiskers mustache, from whisk entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whisker was circa 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whisker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whisker. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

whisker

noun
whis·​ker ˈhwis-kər How to pronounce whisker (audio)
ˈwis-
1
a
: a hair of the beard
b
plural : the part of the beard growing on the sides of the face or on the chin
2
: one of the long hairs or bristles growing near the mouth of an animal (as a cat or mouse)
whiskered adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on whisker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!