porcupine

noun por·cu·pine \ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn\

: a small animal that has very stiff, sharp parts (called quills) all over its body

plural porcupines also porcupine

Full Definition of PORCUPINE

: 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)

See porcupine defined for English-language learners

See porcupine defined for kids

Illustration of PORCUPINE

Origin of PORCUPINE

Middle English porke despyne, from Middle French porc espin, from Old Italian porcospino, from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, prickle

First Known Use: 15th century

Rhymes with PORCUPINE

aerodyne, agate line, alkaline, androgyne, anodyne, anticline, Apennine, aquiline, argentine, asinine, auld lang syne, Aventine, Ballantyne, balloon vine, battle line, borderline, bottom-line, Byzantine, calamine, calcimine, Caroline, catarrhine, Catiline, celandine, centerline, cisalpine, claymore mine, clementine, colubrine, columbine, Columbine, concubine, conga line, contour line, Coppermine, coralline, countermine, countersign, credit line, crystalline, cytokine, dessert wine, disincline, dollar sign, down-the-line, draw the line, eglantine, endocrine, equal sign, Esquiline, exocrine, fescennine, finish line, firing line, Florentine, gas turbine, genuine, gregarine, infantine, interline, intertwine, iodine, Johannine, knotty pine, leonine, Levantine, Liechtenstein, limber pine, lubber line, minus sign, monkeyshine, morning line, muscadine, on deadline, on the line, opaline, palatine, Palatine, Palestine, party line, passerine, picket line, psittacine, realign, redefine, redesign, riverine, saccharine, sapphirine, saturnine, second-line, serpentine, service line, sibylline, Siegfried line, sixty-nine, sounding line, subalpine, sparkling wine, static line, steam turbine, story line, table wine, Theatine, three-point line, timberline, toe the line, transalpine, Tridentine, turnverein, turpentine, underline, undermine, Ursuline, uterine, valentine, vespertine, viperine, vulturine, waterline, wind turbine, worry line

Porcupine

geographical name

Definition of PORCUPINE

river 448 miles (721 kilometers) in N Yukon Territory & NE Alaska flowing N & W into the Yukon

PORCUPINE Defined for Kids

porcupine

noun por·cu·pine \ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn\

Definition of PORCUPINE for Kids

: a gnawing slow-moving animal that is a large rodent and has stiff sharp quills among its hairs

Word History of PORCUPINE

The porcupine is certainly not a source of pork, but the word pork and the porc- in the word porcupine both come ultimately from Latin porcus, “pig, hog.” Porcupine was modified from a compound word in Romance languages such as medieval French porc espin, literally, “spiny pig.” (The espin part comes from Latin spina, “thorn, spine.”)

Learn More About PORCUPINE

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "porcupine"

Nglish: Translation of "porcupine" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "porcupine" for Arabic speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "porcupine"

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: porcupine anteaterPrevious Word in the Dictionary: porcinoAll Words Near: porcupine

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up porcupine? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

View Seen & Heard Highlights from Around the Site