guinea pig

ˈɡɪni pɪɡ

3 definitions

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#1·11h ago

Any tailless rodent of the genus , which have short ears and superficially resemble large hamsters.

He became a human guinea pig and was paid by the company.

Origin: The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is uncertain. One theory is that the animals, which are originally from South America, were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. "Guinea" was also frequently used in English to refer generally to any far-off, unknown country, and so the name may simply be a colorful reference to the animal's foreignness. Others believe "guinea" may be an alteration of the word rabbit; guinea pigs were referred to as "pig coneys" in Edward Topsell's 1607 treatise on quadrupeds. It arose from the once extensive usage of g. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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#2·11h ago

(figuratively) A living experimental subject.

[H]e spoke of the unwisdom of volunteering one's services as a guinea pig.

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#3·11h ago

(dated, slang) A professional company director, without time or real qualifications for the duties.

My dad told me about his days in the Navy: He'd agreed to be a guinea pig in exchange for a shorter enlistment. They kept him awake for a week straight.

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