Cavy

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