porcupine
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porcupine
- /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kjʊˌpaɪn/
- /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kiˌpaɪn/ colloquial
- /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kɪˌpaɪn/ colloquial
- /ˈpɔː(ɹ)kəˌpaɪn/ colloquial
Where it comes from
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.
noun porcupines · porpentine · porpintine
- 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. 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.
- An echidna.
Translations
Every language
noun rodent of the family Hystricidae
| Español | puercoespín |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 호저 hojeo, 산미치광이 sanmichigwang'i |
| 日本語 | ヤマアラシ yamaarashi, 山荒 yamaarashi |
| 中文 | 豪豬 /豪猪 háozhū |
| हिन्दी | साही sāhī, सेही sehī |
| Kiswahili | nungunungu |
| Português | porco-espinho |
| Français | porc-épic |
| Deutsch | Stachelschwein |
| Italiano | istrice, porcospino |
| Ελληνικά | ακανθόχοιρος akanthóchoiros |
| Română | porc spinos, porc-ghimpos |
| Русский | дикобра́з dikobráz |
| Tiếng Việt | nhím |
| العربية | نَيْص nayṣ, دُلْدُل duldul |
| עברית | דורבן, דָּרְבָּן dorbán |
noun rodent of the family Erethizonidae
| Português | quandu |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Baumstachler, Urson |
| Italiano | ursone |
Talk about this word "porcupine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/porcupine. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. porcupine. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/porcupine "porcupine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/porcupine.Cite this
@misc{porcupine_2026,
title = {porcupine},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/porcupine},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
