porcupine

Any of various rodents of the family Hystricidae, of Eurasia and Africa, or the family Erethizontidae, of the Americas, having long, sharp, erectile quills.

To cause to stand up like a porcupine’s quills.

A hystricomorphic rodent quadruped of the family Hystricidæ, of which there are several genera and many species, representing two subfamilies, the Hystricinæ or Old World porcupines, which are all terrestrial and fossorial animals, and the Sphingurinæ or New World porcupines, more or less arboreal, and in some cases having a prehensile tail.

An apparatus for heckling flax.

A cylindrical heckle for worsted yarn.

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.

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.

the echidna.

a large spiny Japanese crab (Acantholithodes hystrix).

See Ichthyosis.