9. (n.)barb one of a breed of horses related to the Arabian, raised orig. in Barbary.
Etymology: (1630–40; < F barbe < It barbero, der. of Barberia Barbary)
Definition of 'barb'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (noun)shot, shaft, slam, dig, barb, jibe, gibe an aggressive remark directed at a personlike a missile and intended to have a tellingeffect "his parting shot was `drop dead'"; "she threw shafts of sarcasm"; "she takes a dig at me every chance she gets"
1. (noun)barb beard, or that which resembles it, or grows in the place of it
2. (noun)barb a muffler, worn by nuns and mourners
3. (noun)barb paps, or little projections, of the mucous membrane, which mark the opening of the submaxillary glands under the tongue in horses and cattle. The name is mostly applied when the barbs are inflamed and swollen
4. (noun)barb the point that stands backward in an arrow, fishhook, etc., to prevent it from being easily extracted. Hence: Anything which stands out with a sharp point obliquely or crosswise to something else
5. (noun)barb a bit for a horse
6. (noun)barb one of the side branches of a feather, which collectively constitute the vane. See Feather
7. (noun)barb a southern name for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; -- also improperly called whiting
8. (noun)barb a hair or bristle ending in a double hook
9. (noun)barb the Barbary horse, a superior breed introduced from Barbary into Spain by the Moors
10. (noun)barb a blackish or dun variety of the pigeon, originally brought from Barbary
11. (noun)barb armor for a horse. Same as 2d Bard, n., 1