noun
porcupine
PAWK-yuu-pyn
noun
1
A large rodent covered in sharp defensive spines called quills.
"The dog came home with a face full of porcupine quills."
How to Use Porcupine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA spiky rodent that raises its sharp quills when threatened.
Common pairings
porcupine quills
Word Forms
porcupines plural
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The dog came home with a face full of _____ quills.
Etymology
From Old French porc-espin, literally "spine pig" — from Latin porcus ("pig") and spinus ("spine").