porcupine

noun

por·cu·pine | \ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn

plural porcupines also porcupine

Definition of porcupine

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

geographical name

Definition of Porcupine (Entry 2 of 2)

river 448 miles (721 kilometers) long in northern Yukon and northeastern Alaska flowing north and west into the Yukon River

Examples of porcupine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

This should anchor the porcupine body and stop it from rolling around. — Woman's Day Staff, Woman's Day, "50+ Creative Pumpkin Carving Ideas for Halloween," 25 July 2018 Designs varied greatly from tribe to tribe, with elements including porcupine quills and beading, according to Cécile R. Ganteaume, associate curator at the National Museum of the American Indian. — Rebecca Malinsky, WSJ, "The Ultimate Summer Shoe (It’s Not a Sandal)," 19 July 2018 Oil exploration in the ANWR — a vast wilderness in Northwest Alaska whose coastal plain is home to polar bears in winter and porcupine caribou and hundreds of migratory bird species in summer — has been the focus of debate for four decades. — Anchorage Daily News, "Companies’ first step in drilling for oil in ANWR draws scathing federal response," 31 May 2018 In addition to fruit bats, other animals that have been known to become infected with the virus are chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines. — Susan Scutti, CNN, "Ebola 101: Answers to your questions about causes, symptoms, transmission and treatments," 25 May 2018 Antelope and porcupines also can spread Ebola when slaughtered. — NBC News, "What is Ebola? The new outbreak in Congo explained," 18 May 2018 Experienced dog handlers work one-on-one with each dog owner and their dog to train the dog to avoid the sight, smell and sound of rattlesnakes, skunks and porcupines. — Michelle Jenkins, idahostatesman, "Boise Bike Week celebrates cycling in all its forms | Idaho Statesman," 7 May 2018 Though Moore seems mildly mortified at her beauty choices, her fans certainly remember the time that this porcupine–meets–pop-star look was all the rage. — Melissa Minton, Allure, "Mandy Moore Had the Most '90s Hairstyle Ever," 3 May 2018 These tend to be named after animals: snails, porcupines, she-wolves. — Dwight Garner, New York Times, "The Palio di Siena: A Survivor’s Tale," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'porcupine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.