noun
whisker
ihs-kuh
noun
1
One of the long stiff hairs growing near the mouth of a cat or other animal.
"The cat's whiskers twitched as it sniffed the air."
2
A hair growing on a man's face, especially at the side.
"He hadn't shaved in days and had a rough stubble of whiskers."
3
A very small amount or distance.
"They lost the match by a whisker."
How to Use Whisker
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe long facial hairs of an animal (or a man), or, informally, a tiny margin.
Common pairings
cat's whiskers
win by a whisker
Word Forms
whiskers plural, Whiskers plural
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Etymology
From Middle English wisker, formed from the verb whisk plus -er, originally referring to something that whisks or brushes lightly.