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View synonyms for

urchin

[ ur-chin ]

noun

  1. a mischievous boy.

    Synonyms: ,

  2. any small boy or youngster.
  3. either of two small rollers covered with card clothing used in conjunction with the cylinder in carding.
  4. Chiefly British Dialect. a hedgehog.
  5. Obsolete. an elf or mischievous sprite.


urchin

/ ˈɜːʃɪ /

noun

  1. a mischievous roguish child, esp one who is young, small, or raggedly dressed
  2. an archaic or dialect name for a hedgehog
  3. either of the two cylinders in a carding machine that are covered with carding cloth
  4. obsolete.
    an elf or sprite
“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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of urchin1

1300–50; Middle English urchun, urchon hedgehog < Old North French ( h ) erichon, Old French çܲ < Vulgar Latin *ŧō- (stem of *ŧō ), equivalent to Latin ŧ ( ius ) hedgehog + -ō- -ion
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Word History and Origins

Origin of urchin1

C13: urchon , from Old French çDz, from Latin ŧius hedgehog, from ŧ, related to Greek ŧ hedgehog
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The carnivorous sea stars munch on purple urchins and might even ward them off by making them fearful using chemical cues.

From

I dreamed of preparing sea urchins with a “sous chef” boyfriend; he didn’t cook, and his palate was from the kids menu.

From

The self-declared "fossil geek" said he came across some unusual-looking fragments which turned out to be pieces of sea lily - an underwater species related to starfish and sea urchins - in a piece of chalk.

From

But tuna was not the only catch on offer on Sunday, with Hokkaido sea urchins also fetching a record-breaking 7m yen according to the Japan Times.

From

Not to mention, you could step on a stingray or a sea urchin.

From

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urceolateurd