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) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
porcupine
n 1: relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles
mingled with the fur [syn: {porcupine}, {hedgehog}]
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