porcupine

noun

por·​cu·​pine ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn 

plural porcupines also porcupine

: 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)

Illustration of porcupine

Examples of porcupine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those heirlooms were vibrant and varied, embellished with figures and animals, glass beads, porcupine quills, shells, bone, and seeds, all stitched into decorative designs and full-out tableaux. —Petala Ironcloud, Architectural Digest, 9 Dec. 2025

In the past, the Small Mammals Building has been the home of such animals as fruit bats, sloths, porcupines, armadillos, tamarins, otters, lemurs and mongooses. —Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Officers say the German shorthair mix appears healthy, aside from a few porcupine needles, and will be taken to a veterinarian for evaluation. —Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 21 Oct. 2025

Now, Taiwan is concentrating resources on making the island the equivalent of a porcupine—prickly to touch and impossible to swallow. —Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English porke despyne, from Middle French porc espin, from Old Italian porcospino, from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, prickle

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing porcupine

• porcupine fish

Rhymes for porcupine

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

Kids Definition

porcupine

noun

por·​cu·​pine ˈpȯr-kyə-ˌpīn 

: any of various rather large slow-moving mostly plant-eating rodents with stiff sharp quills among the hairs on the body

Etymology

Middle English porke despyne "porcupine," from early French porc espin, literally, "thorny pig," derived from Latin porcus "pig" and spina "spine, prickle" — related to pork, porpoise, spine see Word History at porpoise

Geographical Definition

Porcupine

geographical name

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