urchin

ur·chin

noun \ˈər-chən\

Definition of URCHIN

1

archaic : hedgehog 1a

2

: a mischievous and often poor and raggedly clothed youngster <street urchins>

3

: sea urchin

Examples of URCHIN

1. <we could never resist the little urchin's pleas for candy>

Origin of URCHIN

Middle English yrchoun, urchoun, from Anglo-French heriçun, hirechoun, from Old French *eriz, from Latin ericius, from eris; akin to Greek chēr hedgehog

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to URCHIN

Synonyms: devil, hellion, imp, mischief, monkey, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, scamp

Related Words: cutup, larker, madcap, skylarker; ragamuffin; brat, disrupter, misbehaver, nuisance; juvenile delinquent; gamin, gamine

Near Antonyms: beast, boor, cad, churl, clown, creep, cretin, cur, heel, joker, louse, lout, skunk, snake, stinkard, stinker; knave, miscreant, reprobate, scalawag (or scallywag), scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, villain

[+]more[-]hide

Other Invertebrates (Except Insects) Terms

anemone, cephalopod, quahog