Hawaii and California are the only two U.S. states that grow coffee plants commercially.
PORCUPINE
porcupine, hedgehog
(noun) relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
porcupine (plural porcupines)
Any of several rodents of either of the taxonomic families Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) or Erethizontidae (New World porcupines), both from the infraorder Hystricognathi, noted for their sharp spines or quills, which are raised when the animal is attacked or surprised.
Synonyms
• (any species of Hystricidae or Erethizontidae): spine pig, porky
Hyponyms
• (any species of Erethizontidae): porcupette (baby porcupine)
Source: Wiktionary
Por"cu*pine, n. Etym: [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc-épic (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. épi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See Pork, Spike a large nail, Spine.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Definition: 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.
2. (Zoöl.)
Definition: 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. Porcupine ant-eater (Zoöl.), the echidna.
РPorcupine crab (Zo̦l.), a large spiny Japanese crab (Acantholithodes hystrix).
– Porcupine disease (Med.). See Ichthyosis.
РPorcupine fish (Zo̦l.), 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
20 January 2025
CHELICERA
(noun) either of the first pair of fang-like appendages near the mouth of an arachnid; often modified for grasping and piercing
Coffee Trivia
