porcupine
English
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Porcupine-BioDome.jpg/220px-Porcupine-BioDome.jpg)
Alternative forms
- porpentine, porpintine (archaic alterations of porcupine)
Etymology
(deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English porke despyne, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French porc-espin, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin porcus (“pig”) + spinus (“spine”), hence also spine pig. Cognate with Spanish puercoespín, Italian porcospino.
Pronunciation
Noun
porcupine (plural porcupines)
- 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.
- 1981, Adolph Murie, The Grizzlies of Mount McKinley, page 218,
- 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.
- 2010, Richard Potts, Early Hominid Activities at Olduvai, page 81,
- In particular, porcupines, hyenas, and leopards are known in Africa to transport bones to particular places.
- 2011, John P. Rafferty, Rats, Bats, and Xenarthrans, page 113,
- 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.
- 1981, Adolph Murie, The Grizzlies of Mount McKinley, page 218,
Synonyms
Hyponyms
- (any species of Erethizontidae): porcupette (baby porcupine)
Derived terms
Derived terms
- African brush-tailed porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Andean porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Bahia porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- bicolored-spined porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- black dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- black-tailed hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Brazilian porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- bristle-spined porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.) ( = bristle-spined rat)
- brown hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Canada porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
- Canadian porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
- common porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
- crested porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- frosted hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Koopman's porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Mexican tree porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- New World porcupine (Erethizontidae)
- North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
- Old World porcupine (Hystricidae)
- orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Paraguaian hairy dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Porcs
- Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP)
- Porcupine Bank
- porcupine caribou (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.) ( = Grant's caribou)
- Porcupine Creek
- porcupine family
- Porcupine Flat Campground
- porcupinefish, porcupine fish
- porcupine flower (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Porcupine Freedom Festival (PorcFest)
- Porcupine Gold Rush
- Porcupine Gorge National Park, Queensland, Australia ( = Porcupine Gorge)
- Porcupine Hills
- Porcupine Lake
- Porcupine Mall
- Porcupine Meadows Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada, ( = Porcupine Meadows Park)
- Porcupine Mountains, Michigan ( = Porkies)
- Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
- porcupine, Ontario
- Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan
- Porcupine River
- porcupine seabight
- porcupine, South Dakota
- porcupine tree
- porcupine, Wisconsin
- prehensile-tailed porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Roosmalen's dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Rothschild's porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- Santa Marta porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- South porcupine, (Ontario) (SoPo)
- streaked dwarf porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- stump-tailed porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.)
- thin-spined porcupine (Lua error in Module:taxlink at line 68: Parameter "noshow" is not used by this template.) ( = bristle-spined rat)
- urson
- USS Porcupine
Related terms
Related terms
Translations
large rodent
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