cavy
[ key-vee ]
/ ˈkeɪ vi /
Save This Word!
noun, plural ca·vies.
any of several short-tailed or tailless South American rodents of the family Caviidae, as the guinea pig, capybara, or agouti.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of cavy
1790–1800; <New Latin Cavia name of the genus <Carib (Galibi ) cabiai
Words nearby cavy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for cavy
“Have” vs. “Has”: When To Use Each One
What Is An Em Dash And How Do You Use It?
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
Systematic vs. Systemic: There’s A System To The Difference
The Evolving Language Around The Autism Spectrum: What You Need To Know
What Do “a.m.” And “p.m.” Stand For?
British Dictionary definitions for cavy
cavy
/ (ˈkeɪvɪ) /
noun plural -vies
any small South American hystricomorph rodent of the family Caviidae, esp any of the genus Cavia, having a thickset body and very small tailSee also guinea pig
Word Origin for cavy
C18: from New Latin Cavia, from Galibi cabiai
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012