whiskered

Whiskered is an adjective used to describe something that has or resembles whiskers—long, tactile hairs that grow near the mouth or on the face. In everyday language, it can describe humans who have facial hair such as a mustache or sideburns, or animals that display prominent vibrissae around the snout or face. The term emphasizes the presence of these tactile hairs as a notable feature.

In zoological and vernacular usage, whiskered appears in the common names of several species. The prefix signals a distinctive facial feature that observers associate with the animal, rather than a taxonomic grouping. The term is not restricted to a single lineage, and it can appear across various animal groups where vibrissae or facial hair are prominent.

Notable examples include the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus), a small European bat named for its facial fleece and bristly appearance; the whiskered auklet (Aethia pygmaea), a seabird with facial bristles contributing to its distinctive look; and the whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida), a small migratory bird whose face pattern is a characteristic feature in its common name. There are other species with whiskered in their common name as well, reflecting a descriptive rather than a systematic usage.

Overall, whiskered functions primarily as a descriptive descriptor in English, used to draw attention to visible facial hair or bristles. Its application is most common in informal or semi-scientific naming and descriptions rather than in formal nomenclature. See also vibrissae and facial hair.