echidna

American  

[ih-kid-nuh] / ɪˈkɪd nə /

noun

1. Also called spiny anteater.  any of several insectivorous monotremes of the genera Tachyglossus, of Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea, and Zaglossus, of New Guinea, that have claws and a slender snout and are covered with coarse hair and long spines.

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echidna British  

/ ɪˈkɪdnə /

noun

1. Also called: spiny anteater.  any of the spine-covered monotreme mammals of the genera Tachyglossus of Australia and Zaglossus of New Guinea: family Tachyglossidae. They have a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites

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Etymology

Origin of echidna

< New Latin (1798), originally a genus name; Latin: serpent, Echidna a mythical creature which gave birth to the Hydra and other monsters < Greek échidna, akin to échis viper

Example Sentences

But several media outlets had already shared the video - as well as earlier posts, said to be taken in Australia, which show her holding an echidna and a "little shark".

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2025

Officially named Opalios splendens, the new species has been nicknamed for its resemblance to the platypus and echidna - which are the only egg-laying mammals in the world today.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, named for British naturalist and documentarian David Attenborough, was discovered in 1961.

From Washington Times • Nov. 10, 2023

Attenborough's long-beaked echidna is the flagship animal of the Cyclops Mountains and a symbol of its extraordinary biodiversity.

From Science Daily • Nov. 9, 2023

Where better for an echidna than in the bath?

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith