: any of a subfamily (Erinaceinae) of Eurasian and African nocturnal insectivores that have both hair and spines which they present outwardly by rolling themselves up when threatened
b
: any of several spiny mammals (such as a porcupine)
2
a
: a military defensive obstacle (as of barbed wire)
b
: a well-fortified military stronghold
Illustration of hedgehog
hedgehog 1a
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There are 14 species of hedgehogs. All prefer animal food, such as insects, but will eat plant material. There are nine species of spiny hedgehogs. They have short, barbless spines on the back, a round body, small head, pointed face, and little or no tail, and range from 4 in (10 cm) to 17 in (44 cm) long. Spiny hedgehogs are native to Britain, North Africa, and Asia; one species was introduced into New Zealand. There are five species of hairy hedgehog; all are Asian. They have coarse guard hairs, but no spines and are extremely malodorous. The common hairy hedgehog may be 18 in (46 cm) long and have a 12-in (30 cm) tail.
Examples of hedgehog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebAs of Thursday, Baker said the chickens, hedgehogs and chinchillas have been adopted, and nearly all of the larger animals have been placed in foster care.—Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024 There is one aeolid that looks like a psychedelic hedgehog, and several that wouldn’t be out of place at the tip of an orchid stem.—Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024 Down the hall from the hedgehog, staff fed trilling birds — no bigger than the palm of a hand — with tweezers and syringes.—Jess McHugh, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Recommended for kids aged 18 months and up, the toy is also a cinch to clean up since all the quills pack up neatly inside the hedgehog’s body.—Christine Luff, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hedgehog
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hedgehog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: any of several mammals of Europe, Asia, and Africa that eat insects, have sharp spines mixed with the hair on their back, and are able to roll themselves up into a spiny ball when threatened
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