Porpentine
/ˈpɔːr.pən.taɪn/noun
An archaic or poetic word for a porcupine.
Did you know?Porpentine entered English through Anglo-French and Middle English poetic usage, showing how medieval English often preserved exotic-sounding animal names that later vanished from everyday speech.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
porcuspina
“A porcupine; literally a 'spiny pig' in later folk analysis”
Old French
OF
porc espin
“Porcupine; 'spiny pig'”
Middle English
ME
porpentyn
“A porcupine, especially in poetic or literary use”
16th Century
English
porpentine
“An archaic literary form meaning porcupine”
Modern English
English
porpentine
“Rare poetic or archaic word for a porcupine”
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