3 definitions found From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Guinea pig \Guin"ea pig`\ [Prob. a mistake for Guiana pig.] 1. (Zool.) A small Brazilian rodent ({Cavia porcellus} or {Cavia cobaya}), about seven inches in length and usually of a white color, with spots of orange and black. Called also {cavy}. It is the domesticated form of the wild cavy, often kept as a pet and used commonly as an experimental animal in laboratory research. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC] 2. Hence, [figuratively]: Any animal or person used in an experiment; -- also applied to people who are unwillingly or unknowingly subjected by authorities to policies or procedures which might cause bodily or mental harm. [PJC] 3. A contemptuous sobriquet. [Obs.] --Smollett [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Cavy \Ca"vy\, n.; pl. {Cavies}. [NL. cavia, fr. Brazilian cabiai: cf. F. cabiai.] (Zool.) A rodent of the genera {Cavia} and {Dolichotis}, as the guinea pig ({Cavia cobaya}). Cavies are natives of South America. [1913 Webster] {Water cavy} (Zool.), The capybara. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: cavy n : short-tailed rough-haired South American rodent
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