About The Word Porcupine

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word Porcupine to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Porcupine definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Porcupine

Porcupine Meaning & Definition
Porcupine Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Porcupine?

[n] relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur

Synonyms | Synonyms for Porcupine: hedgehog

Related Terms | Find terms related to Porcupine: ape | bar | bear | Cape polecat | cavy | chimp | chimpanzee | coon | ferret | foumart | glutton | groundhog | guinea pig | hedgehog | monk | monkey | mousehound | opossum | polecat | possum | prairie dog | quill pig | raccoon | skunk | weasel | whistle-pig | wolverine | woodchuck | zoril

See Also | gnawer | gnawing animal | New World porcupine | Old World porcupine | quill | rodent

Porcupine In Webster's Dictionary

\Por"cu*pine\, n. [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc-['e]pic (cf. It. porco spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine). The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp.; cf. F. ['e]pi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See {Pork}, {Spike} a large nail, {Spine}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any Old Word rodent of the genus {Hystrix}, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia ({Hystrix cristata}) is the best known. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any species of {Erethizon} and related genera, native of America. They are related to the true porcupines, but have shorter spines, and are arboreal in their habits. The Canada porcupine ({Erethizon dorsatus}) is a well known species. {Porcupine ant-eater} (Zo["o]l.), the echidna. {Porcupine crab} (Zo["o]l.), a large spiny Japanese crab ({Acantholithodes hystrix}). {Porcupine disease} (Med.). See {Ichthyosis}. {Porcupine fish} (Zo["o]l.), any plectognath fish having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See {Diodon}, and {Globefish}. {Porcupine grass} (Bot.), a grass ({Stipa spartea}) with grains bearing a stout twisted awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate grain into the wool and flesh of sheep. It is found from Illinois westward. See Illustration in Appendix. {Porcupine wood} (Bot.), the hard outer wood of the cocoa palm; -- so called because, when cut horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine.

More Crossword Puzzle Words

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Cross Word Of The Day

  • Full admiral ‐ the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral…
  • Fecal impaction ‐ accumulation of hardened feces in the rectum or lower colon which…
  • Step to the fore ‐ make oneself visible; take action; "Young people should step…
  • Leaker ‐ a surreptitious informant; "the president wanted to know who…
  • Heaven ‐ any place of complete bliss and delight and peace [n] the abode…
  • Timeserving ‐ taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance…
  • Wpm ‐ the rate at which words are produced (as in speaking…
  • Reciter ‐ someone who recites…
  • Emil hermann fischer ‐ German chemist noted for work on synthetic sugars and the purines…
  • Date bread ‐ bread containing…