: any of various relatively large slow-moving chiefly herbivorous rodents having sharp erectile spines mingled with the hair and constituting an Old World terrestrial family (Hystricidae) and a New World chiefly arboreal family (Erethizontidae)
Illustration of porcupine
Examples of porcupine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebObservers report observations of animals, from birds and rats to porcupines and chimpanzees, deliberately employing an impressive repertoire of medicinal substances.—Adrienne Mayor, Discover Magazine, 28 May 2024 The incipient stoned surrealism is reinforced by token bits of hallucinatory imagery, mostly shots of lizards and porcupines and aerial screensaver views of aqua waves.—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 May 2024 Again did introduce Anguirus, a recurring kaiju that looks like a cross between a horned herbivore dinosaur and a porcupine.—Katie Rife, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2024 What to know about porcupines The North American porcupine is the second-largest rodent in North America, after the beaver, according to Zoo Idaho.—Helena Wegner, Idaho Statesman, 22 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for porcupine
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English porke despyne, from Middle French porc espin, from Old Italian porcospino, from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, prickle
: any of various rather large slow-moving mostly plant-eating rodents with stiff sharp quills among the hairs on the body
Etymology
Middle English porke despyne "porcupine," from early French porc espin, literally, "thorny pig," derived from Latin porcus "pig" and spina "spine, prickle" — related to pork, porpoise, spine see Word History at porpoise
Geographical Definition
Porcupine
geographical name
river 448 miles (721 kilometers) long in northern Yukon and northeastern Alaska flowing north and west into the Yukon River
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