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Definition 2024


guinea_pig

guinea pig

See also: guineapig and guinea-pig

English

Guinea pigs

Alternative forms

Noun

guinea pig (plural guinea pigs)

  1. A tailless rodent of the the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia genus, with short ears and larger than a hamster; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet.
  2. A rodent of any of several species within the family Caviidae.
  3. (figuratively) A living experimental subject.
    He became a human guinea pig and was paid by the company.
  4. (obsolete) Term of contempt.
    • Smollett
      A good seaman he is... none of your guinea-pigs.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

  • cavy boar
  • cavy piglet
  • cavy sow

References

  1. 1 2 Wagner, Joseph E.; Manning, Patrick J (1976) The Biology of the Guinea Pig, Academic Press, ISBN 0-12-730050-3
  2. “Results for "Guinea pig"”, in (Please provide the title of the work), Dictionary.com, accessed 2006-08-29