Word of the Day

erinaceous

[er-uh-ney-shuhs]

adjective:

of the hedgehog family

Explanation

If something is erinaceous, it has spiky, hedgehog-like qualities — or it might just be a hedgehog, plain and simple. The word might look a bit odd, but the Latin word for "hedgehog" is erinaceus, so erinaceous isn't so mysterious after all. Keep it handy for prickly subjects!

Example: The erinaceous creature curled into a tight ball of sharp spines to protect its belly.

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