'vibrissa' originates from New Latin, specifically the Latin word 'vibrissa', where the root 'vibrare' meant 'to vibrate' or 'to shake'.

'vibrissa' was adopted into scientific New Latin from classical Latin 'vibrissa' (related to 'vibrare') and was later borrowed into English as the technical term 'vibrissa'.

Initially, it referred to a 'twitching or vibrating hair'; over time it has come to mean specifically a 'tactile whisker' used for sensing.