hedgehog

[ hej-hog, -hawg ]

/ ˈhɛdʒˌhɒg, -ˌhɔg /

noun

an Old World, insect-eating mammal of the genus Erinaceus, especially E. europaeus, having spiny hairs on the back and sides.

the porcupine.

Military.

a portable obstacle made of crossed logs in the shape of an hourglass, usually laced with barbed wire.
an obstructive device consisting of steel bars, angle irons, etc., usually embedded in concrete, designed to damage and impede the boats and tanks of a landing force on a beach.

Nearby words

hedge mustard, hedge nettle, hedge one's bets, hedge sparrow, hedge-school, hedgehog, hedgehog cactus, hedgehop, hedger, hedgerow, hedging

Origin of hedgehog

First recorded in 1400–50, hedgehog is from the late Middle English word heyghoge. See hedge, hog

Related forms

hedge·hog·gy, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for hedgehog

Hedgehog Birthday From the folks who brought you ‘Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos’ comes another squee-worthy video.
Hedgehog Birthday, ‘Frozen Is the New Black,’ and More Viral Videos|Alex Chancey|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
DuBois was a man of many ideas; Washington, of just one: the proverbial contrast of hedgehog and fox.
David's Book Club: The Souls of Black Folk|David Frum|May 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“I used to remember drawing Sonic the Hedgehog when I was super young,” says Moss.
Olly Moss: The Savior of Movie Posters|Marlow Stern|May 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
And the more he thinks about it, the “Hedgehog vs. Fox” thing is nothing more than a party game either.
Best of Brit Lit|Peter Stothard|July 16, 2009|DAILY BEAST

And as a little treat I'm going to give you some cherry pie that I made for the hedgehog.
Uncle Wiggily's Adventures|Howard R. Garis
Of these, perhaps the best known is the brown “woolly worm” or “hedgehog caterpillar,” as it is familiarly called.
A Book of Natural History|Various
A Hedgehog curls himself up into a ball and his prickles stick out every which way at once.
Just So Stories|Rudyard Kipling
He is very timid, and when any one approaches him, coils himself up in a ball, like a hedgehog.
The Desert World|Arthur Mangin
It was a calm day towards the end of March when the hedgehog awoke.
Creatures of the Night|Alfred W. Rees

British Dictionary definitions for hedgehog

hedgehog

/ (ˈhɛdʒˌhɒɡ) /

noun

any small nocturnal Old World mammal of the genus Erinaceus, such as E. europaeus, and related genera, having a protective covering of spines on the back: family Erinaceidae, order Insectivora (insectivores)Related adjective: erinaceous

any other insectivore of the family Erinaceidae, such as the moon rat

US any of various other spiny animals, esp the porcupine

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