porcupine
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kjʊˌpaɪn/
ipa: /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kiˌpaɪn/
ipa: /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kɪˌpaɪn/
ipa: /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kəˌpaɪn/
Forms: form: porcupines
form: porpentine
form: porpintine
Etymology: From Middle English porke despyne, from Old French porc-espin, from Latin porcus (“pig”) + spinus (“spine”), hence also spine pig. Cognate with Spanish puercoespín, Italian porcospino, Portuguese porco-espinho.
Senses: examples: text: I have no evidence of grizzlies killing porcupines or vice versa. However, occasionally there is contact and sometimes a grizzly is injured or a porcupine killed, but the latter is rare.
ref: 1981, Adolph Murie, The Grizzlies of Mount McKinley, page 218:
text: In particular, porcupines, hyenas, and leopards are known in Africa to transport bones to particular places.
ref: 2010, Richard Potts, Early Hominid Activities at Olduvai, page 81:
text: Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in clusters, whereas in New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur, and hair. No porcupine can throw its quills, but they detach easily and will remain embedded in an attacker.
ref: 2011, John P. Rafferty, Rats, Bats, and Xenarthrans, page 113:
glosses: Any of several rodents of either of the taxonomic families Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) or Erethizontidae (New World porcupines), both from the infraorder Hystricognathi, noted for their sharp spines or quills, which are raised when the animal is attacked or surprised.
Synonyms: sense: any species of Hystricidae or Erethizontidae
word: spine pig
sense: any species of Hystricidae or Erethizontidae
word: porky
Hyponyms: sense: any species of Erethizontidae
english: baby porcupine
translation: baby porcupine
word: porcupette
Derived terms: taxonomic: Atherurus africanus
word: African brush-tailed porcupine
word: African crested porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou quichua
word: Andean porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus insidiosus
word: Bahia porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou bicolor
word: bicolored-spined porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou nycthemera
word: black dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus melanurus
word: black-tailed hairy dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou prehensilis
word: Brazilian porcupine
taxonomic: Chaetomys subspinosus
alt: = bristle-spined rat
word: bristle-spined porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus vestitus
word: brown hairy dwarf porcupine
word: brush-tailed porcupine
taxonomic: Erethizon dorsatum
word: Canada porcupine
taxonomic: Erethizon dorsatum
word: Canadian porcupine
word: Cape porcupine
taxonomic: Erethizon dorsatum
word: common porcupine
taxonomic: Hystrix cristata
word: crested porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus pruinosus
word: frosted hairy dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou nycthemera
word: Koopman's porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus mexicanus
word: Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus mexicanus
word: Mexican tree porcupine
english: Erethizontidae
translation: Erethizontidae
word: New World porcupine
taxonomic: Erethizon dorsatum
word: North American porcupine
english: Hystricidae
translation: Hystricidae
word: Old World porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus villosus
word: orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus spinosus
word: Paraguaian hairy dwarf porcupine
word: Porcs
english: PAP
translation: PAP
word: Porcupine Abyssal Plain
word: porcupine anole
word: Porcupine Bank
taxonomic: Rangifer tarandus granti
alt: = Grant's caribou
word: porcupine caribou
word: porcupine crab
word: Porcupine Creek
word: porcupine family
word: porcupinefish
english: Tetraodontidae
translation: Tetraodontidae
word: porcupine fish
word: Porcupine Flat Campground
taxonomic: Barleria prionitis
word: porcupine flower
alt: PorcFest
word: Porcupine Freedom Festival
word: Porcupine Gold Rush
word: Porcupine Gorge National Park
word: Queensland
alt: = Porcupine Gorge
word: Australia
word: porcupine grass
word: Porcupine Hills
word: Porcupine Lake
word: Porcupine Mall
word: Porcupine Meadows Provincial Park
word: British Columbia
word: Canada
word: Porcupine Mountains
alt: = Porkies
word: Michigan
word: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
word: Porcupine
word: Ontario
word: Porcupine Plain
word: Saskatchewan
word: porcupine puffer
word: Porcupine River
word: Porcupine Seabight
word: South Dakota
word: porcupine tomato
word: Wisconsin
word: porcupinish
taxonomic: Coendou spp.
word: prehensile-tailed porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus roosmalenorum
word: Roosmalen's dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou rothschildi
word: Rothschild's porcupine
taxonomic: Coendou sanctamartae
word: Santa Marta porcupine
word: sea porcupine
word: South Porcupine
taxonomic: Sphiggurus ichillus
word: streaked dwarf porcupine
taxonomic: Echinoprocta rufescens
word: stump-tailed porcupine
taxonomic: Chaetomys subspinosus
alt: = bristle-spined rat
word: thin-spined porcupine
word: USS Porcupine
word: wereporcupine
Related terms: word: porcine
word: porcupette
word: porcus
word: porky
word: porpentine
word: echidna
word: hedgehog
word: spiny anteater
word: urchin
taxonomic: Erethizon dorsatum
word: urson