# guinea pig
## English
### Alternative forms

* guinea-pig, Guinea-pig
* Guinea pig
* guineapig

### Etymology

The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is uncertain. One theory is that the animals, which are originally from South America, were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. "Guinea" was also frequently used in English to refer generally to any far-off, unknown country, and so the name may simply be a colorful reference to the animal's foreignness. Others believe "guinea" may be an alteration of the word coney (“rabbit”); guinea pigs were referred to as "pig coneys" in Edward Topsell's 1607 treatise on quadrupeds.
* This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Where did the "experimental subject" sense come from? Guinea pigs are not commonly used for that these days.”

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɡɪni pɪɡ/
* Audio (General Australian):(file)

### Noun

guinea pig (plural guinea pigs)
* Any tailless rodent of the genus Cavia, which have short ears and superficially resemble large hamsters.
** (especially) A domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, often kept as a pet.
    Synonyms: (formal name) cavy, domestic cavy, domestic guinea pig
* (figuratively) A living experimental subject.
    Synonym: lab rat
    He became a human guinea pig and was paid by the company.
** 1970, Larry Niven, Ringworld, page 115:[H]e spoke of the unwisdom of volunteering one's services as a guinea pig.
** 2008 October, Davy Rothbart, “How I caught up with dad”, in Men's Health, volume 23, number 8, →ISSN, page 112:My dad told me about his days in the Navy: He'd agreed to be a guinea pig in exchange for a shorter enlistment. They kept him awake for a week straight.
* (dated, slang) A professional company director, without time or real qualifications for the duties.
* (nautical, obsolete) A midshipman in the East India service; (by extension) a low-skilled or non-proficient seaman.
** 1748, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Roderick Random‎, page 183:A good seaman he is... none of your guinea-pigs.
** 1779, Macintosh, Travels, quoted in Carey, Old Days, i. 73
    I promise you, to me it was no slight penance to be exposed during the whole voyage to the half sneering, satirical looks of the mates and guinea-pigs.

#### Derived terms

* Abyssinian guinea pig
* act as a guinea pig
* adult guinea pig
* Agouti guinea pig
* baby guinea pig
* Brazilian guinea pig, Brazilian Guinea Pig (Cavia aperea)
* Brindle guinea pig
* common guinea pig
* Crested guinea pig
* Dalmatian guinea pig
* domesticated guinea pig
* domestic guinea pig
* domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus (Cavia anolaimae, Cavia guianae)
* domestic guinea pig genome
* Dutch guinea pig
* female guinea pig
* Greater guinea pig, Greater Guinea Pig, Cavia magna
* guinea pig breed
* guinea pig breeder
* guinea pig brush
* guinea pig cage
* guinea pig care
* guinea pig diseases
* guinea pig fancier
* guinea pig fancy
* guinea pig food
* guinea pig genetics
* guinea pig genome
* guinea piggie
* guinea piggies
* guinea piggy
* guinea pig handbook
* guinea pig husbandry
* guinea pig meat
* guinea pig model
* guinea pig night
* guinea-pig productivity
* guinea pig pup
* guinea pig sounds
* guinea pigs' teeth
* guinea pig strains
* guinea pig world
* hairless guinea pig
* Himalayan guinea pig
* human guinea pig
* Intermediate guinea pig, Intermediate Guinea Pig, Cavia intermedia
* laboratory guinea pig
* long-haired guinea pig
* long-haired rosetted guinea pig
* male guinea pig
* Montane guinea pig, Montane Guinea Pig, Cavia tschudii (Cavia nana)
* parti-colored guinea pig
* Peruvian guinea pig
* Rex guinea pig
* Roan guinea pig
* rough-coated guinea pig
* Satin guinea pig
* Self guinea pig
* Sheltie guinea pig
* Shiny guinea pig, Shiny Guinea Pig, Cavia fulgida
* short-haired guinea pig
* smooth-coated guinea pig
* smooth-haired guinea pig
* Teddy guinea pig
* Texel guinea pig
* Tortoiseshell guinea pig
* wild guinea pig
* young guinea pig

#### Descendants

* Sranan Tongo: dyinipi

#### See also

* cavy boar
* cavy piglet
* cavy sow
* popcorning
* wheek

### References

* 1 2 Wagner, Joseph E., Manning, Patrick J (1976) The Biology of the Guinea Pig, Academic Press, →ISBN
* ↑ “Guinea pig definition and meaning”, in Collins Dictionary‎, Harper Collins, 2023 August 31 (last accessed)