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porcupine

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porcupine

Main Entry:: por·cu·pine
Pronunciation:: \ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn\
Function:: noun
Inflected Form(s):: plural porcupines also porcupine
Etymology:: Middle English porke despyne, from Middle French porc espin, from Old Italian porcospino, from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, prickle
Date:: 15th century

: 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)

[porcupine illustration]

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