erinaceous

American  

[er-uh-ney-shuhs] / ˌɛr əˈneɪ ʃəs /

adjective

Zoology.

1. of the hedgehog kind or family.

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erinaceous British  

/ ˌɛrɪˈneɪʃəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling hedgehogs

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Etymology

Origin of erinaceous

< Latin ērināce ( us ) hedgehog + -ous

Explanation

Erinaceous means relating to or resembling hedgehogs. If you ever encounter one of these spiky critters while walking in the woods, you could call it a close encounter of the erinaceous kind! The word erinaceous is used mostly in zoology books or articles, where it can be used to discuss hedgehogs themselves or to hedgehog-like features of other animals. Those attributes could include having short, stiff spines or quills that radiate outward, or the defense mechanism of rolling into a tight ball when feeling threatened. The word is sometimes used figuratively to describe people who are prickly (as in cranky, irritable, or difficult) or very timid (as in having a defensive, shy demeanor).