Porcupine

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Porcupine \Por"cu*pine\, n. [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF.
     porc-espi, F. porc-['e]pic (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. ['e]pi ear,
     a spike of grain, L. spica. See {Pork}, {Spike} a large nail,


     {Spine}.]
     1. (Zool.) 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Porcupine ant-eater} (Zool.), the echidna.
  
     {Porcupine crab} (Zool.), a large spiny Japanese crab
        ({Acantholithodes hystrix}).
  
     {Porcupine disease} (Med.). See {Ichthyosis}.
  
     {Porcupine fish} (Zool.), 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.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  porcupine
       n : relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles
           mingled with the fur [syn: {hedgehog}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  29 Moby Thesaurus words for "porcupine":
     Cape polecat, ape, bar, bear, cavy, chimp, chimpanzee, coon,
     ferret, foumart, glutton, groundhog, guinea pig, hedgehog, monk,
     monkey, mousehound, opossum, polecat, possum, prairie dog,
     quill pig, raccoon, skunk, weasel, whistle-pig, wolverine,
     woodchuck, zoril
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Porcupine, SD (CDP, FIPS 51340)
    Location: 43.27197 N, 102.33289 W
    Population (1990): 783 (175 housing units)
    Area: 24.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 57772

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Porcupine, SD -- U.S. Census Designated Place in South Dakota
     Population (2000):    407
     Housing Units (2000): 103
     Land area (2000):     9.493955 sq. miles (24.589229 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    9.493955 sq. miles (24.589229 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            51340
     Located within:       South Dakota (SD), FIPS 46
     Location:             43.262380 N, 102.347660 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     57772
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Porcupine, SD
      Porcupine