[ad. It. and mod.L. barbicella, dim. of barba beard; cf. L. pedicellus PEDICEL, dim. of pediculus, f. pes foot.] One of the minute hooked filaments that serves to interlock the barbules of a bird’s feathers.
1869. Gillmore, trans. Figuier’s Reptiles & Birds, Introd. 186. The barbules themselves frequently throw out filaments … called barbicels.
1874. Coues, Birds N. W., 270. The fine barbules and barbicels.
