cavy

[ key-vee ]

/ ˈkeɪ vi /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cavy ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

cavort, cavosurface, cavosurface angle, cavour, cavum, cavy, caw, cawdrey, cawley, cawnpore, caxias

Origin of cavy

1790–1800; < New Latin Cavia name of the genus < Carib (Galibi) cabiai

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cavy

A few guanaco and ostriches, a sprinkling of cavy, and many pampa foxes seemed to eke out an existence there.
Through the Heart of Patagonia|H. Hesketh Prichard
The nest was of dry grass and lined with the fur of the cavy.
Argentine Ornithology, Volume I (of 2)|P. L. Sclater
The River Deseado forms the southern limit of the distribution of the Patagonian cavy.
Through the Heart of Patagonia|H. Hesketh Prichard
For laboratories, experimental purposes, etc., it is the smooth-haired Cavy that is in most demand.
The Raising and Care of Guinea Pigs|A. C. Smith

This is one of the most common troubles that a Cavy raiser has to contend with.
The Raising and Care of Guinea Pigs|A. C. Smith

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

cavy

noun, plural ca·vies.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of cavy

Examples from the Web for cavy

British Dictionary definitions for cavy

cavy

noun plural -vies

Word Origin for cavy