whisker
Meaning
any of the long, stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of an animal such as a cat or a mouse
(informal) a very small distance or amount
Usage
the cat's whiskers twitched as it investigated the new object.
he missed the target by a whisker.
sensory information from its whiskers helps a rodent map its surroundings in the dark.
Etymology
The word 'whisker' originates from the early 17th century, formed from the English verb 'whisk', meaning to move or sweep something quickly and lightly, combined with the agentive suffix '-er'. The connection lies in the notion of something that whisks or brushes against surfaces. This aptly describes the function of the long, sensitive tactile hairs on an animal's face, which it uses to brush against objects and navigate its environment. The informal sense of "a very small distance" (e.g., "win by a whisker") is a metaphorical extension from the fineness and smallness of a single hair.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form derived from the English verb 'whisk'.