About The Word Porcupine
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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
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Porcupine Definition And Meaning |
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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.
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