Any of various fish species with whisker-like barbels or beard-like filaments around the mouth, such as catfish or certain bottom-dwelling species.
From Middle English 'berd' (beard) and Old English 'fisc' (fish). The name describes the fish's prominent facial barbels that resemble a beard.
Barbels—those whisker-like sensors on catfish—are actually chemoreceptors that let the fish 'taste' the water; calling them beards is poetic but also accidentally accurate about their sensory function!
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