from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Barnacle \Bar"na*cle\, n. [Prob. from E. barnacle a kind of
goose, which was popularly supposed to grow from this
shellfish; but perh. from LL. bernacula for pernacula, dim.
of perna ham, sea mussel; cf. Gr. pe`rna ham. Cf. F.
bernacle, barnacle, E. barnacle a goose; and Ir. bairneach,
barneach, limpet.] (Zool.)
Any cirriped crustacean adhering to rocks, floating timber,
ships, etc., esp.
(a) the sessile species (genus {Balanus} and allies), and
(b) the stalked or goose barnacles (genus {Lepas} and
allies). See {Cirripedia}, and {Goose barnacle}.
[1913 Webster]
{Barnacle eater} (Zool.), the orange filefish.
{Barnacle scale} (Zool.), a bark louse ({Ceroplastes
cirripediformis}) of the orange and quince trees in
Florida. The female scale curiously resembles a sessile
barnacle in form.
[1913 Webster]