English-Thai Dictionary

porcupine

N เม่น  men

 

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PORCUPINE

n.[L. porcus; spina, a spine or thorn. ] In zoology, a quadruped of the genus Hystrix. The crested porcupine has a body about two feet in length, four toes on each of the fore feet, and five on each of the hind feet, a crested head, a short tail, and the upper lip divided like that of the hare. The body is covered with prickles which are very sharp, and some of them nine or ten inches long; these he can erect at pleasure. When attacked, he rolls his body into a round form, in which position the prickles are presented in every direction to the enemy. This species is a native of Africa and Asia.

 

PORCUPINE-FISH

n.A fish which is covered with spines or prickles. It is of the diodon kind, and about fourteen inches in length.

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

PORCUPINE

Por "cu *pine, n. Etym: [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F.porc-épic (cf. It. porco spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine ). The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp. ; cf. F. épi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See Pork, Spike a large nail, Spine. ]

 

1. (Zoöl.)

 

Defn: Any Old Word rodent of the genus Hystrix, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia (Hystrix cristata ) is the best known.

 

2. (Zoöl.)

 

Defn: Any species of Erethizon and related genera, native of America. They are related to the true porcupines, but have shorter spines, and are arboreal in their habits. The Canada porcupine (Erethizon dorsatus ) is a well known species. Porcupine ant-eater (Zoöl.), the echidna. -- Porcupine crab (Zoöl.), a large spiny Japanese crab (Acantholithodes hystrix ). -- Porcupine disease (Med. ). See Ichthyosis. -- Porcupine fish (Zoöl.), any plectognath fish having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See Diodon, and Globefish. -- Porcupine grass (Bot. ), a grass (Stipa spartea ) with grains bearing a stout twisted awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate grain into the wool and flesh of sheep. It is found from Illinois westward. See Illustration in Appendix. -- Porcupine wood (Bot. ), the hard outer wood of the cocoa palm; -- so called because, when cut horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine.

 

New American Oxford Dictionary

porcupine

por cu pine |ˈpôrkyəˌpīn ˈpɔːrkjupaɪn | ▶noun a large rodent with defensive spines or quills on the body and tail. [Suborder Hystricomorpha: families Hystricidae (three Old World genera ) and Erethizontidae (four New World genera ). The common North American species is Erethizon dorsatum. ] ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French porc espin, from Provençal porc espi (n ), from Latin porcus ‘pig ’ + spina ‘thorn. ’

 

porcupine fish

por cu pine fish ▶noun a tropical marine fish that has a parrotlike beak and is covered with sharp spines. It inflates itself like a balloon when threatened. [Family Diodontidae: three genera and several species, including the widely distributed Diodon hystrix. See also burrfish . ]

 

Porcupine River

Por cu pine River |ˈpôrkyəˌpīn ˌpɔrkjəˌpaɪn ˈrɪvər | a river that flows for 450 miles (720 km ) from Yukon Territory into northeastern Alaska to join the Yukon River.

 

Oxford Dictionary

porcupine

por ¦cu |pine |ˈpɔːkjʊpʌɪn | ▶noun a large rodent with defensive spines or quills on the body and tail. ●Suborder Hystricomorpha: families Hystricidae (three Old World genera ) and Erethizontidae (four New World genera ). ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French porc espin, from Provençal porc espi (n ), from Latin porcus ‘pig ’ + spina ‘thorn ’.

 

porcupine fish

por ¦cu |pine fish ▶noun a tropical marine fish which has a parrot-like beak and is covered with sharp spines. It inflates itself like a balloon when threatened. ●Family Diodontidae: three genera and several species, including the widely distributed Diodon hystrix. See also burrfish .

 

Porcupine River

Por cu pine River |ˈpôrkyəˌpīn ˌpɔrkjəˌpaɪn ˈrɪvər | a river that flows for 450 miles (720 km ) from Yukon Territory into northeastern Alaska to join the Yukon River.

 

Sanseido Wisdom Dictionary

porcupine

por cu pine /pɔ́ː r kjəpàɪn /名詞 C 〘動 〙ヤマアラシ ▸ porcupine ('s ) quills ヤマアラシの針 .