barbless

B3A1R1B3L1E1S1S1

adjective

Lacking a barb.

“We used barbless fishhooks in the catch-and-release stream, in order to minimize harm to the fish.”

OriginProto-Germanic *lausaz ← Proto-Indo-European *lewHs- ← English barb →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectivebarbless (not comparable)
  1. not comparableLacking a barb.

    We used barbless fishhooks in the catch-and-release stream, in order to minimize harm to the fish.

  2. not comparableOf a feather, lacking barbs.

Origin

  1. Englishbarb
  2. Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
  4. Proto-Germanic*leusaną
  5. Proto-Germanic*lausaz
  6. Englishbarbless

From barb + -less.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

barbless. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbless

MLA

“barbless.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbless. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barbless,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbless.

Source: barbless on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.