Porcupine - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A porcupine is a large rodent covered with sharp quills for defense. It lives in forests and grasslands, and its quills detach easily when threatened to deter predators.
Definition:
A rodent with sharp quills for defense, found in forests and grasslands.
Synonyms:
hedgehog, spiny mammal, quill pig
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
smooth animal, soft-furred creature
Common Collocations:
porcupine quills, porcupine habitat, baby porcupine
Derivatives:
porcupines, porcupine-like
Usage Tips:
Use "porcupine" to describe the animal; avoid confusing it with "hedgehog," which lacks long quills.
Common Phrases:
prickly like a porcupine, porcupine ball (dish), porcupine effect (behavior)
Etymology:
From Old French "porc espin," meaning "spiny pig," influenced by Latin "porcus" (pig) and "spina" (thorn).
Examples:
- 1. The porcupine climbed the tree slowly.
- 2. Her dog got quilled by a startled porcupine.
- 3. Porcupines are nocturnal and mostly eat plants.
- 4. We saw a baby porcupine at the zoo yesterday.