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Glite Dictionary
Erinaceus europaeus

Erinaceus europaeus

9.9
A small animal active at night with short sharp spines found in Europe
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : erizo europeo
  • Gardeners often welcome Erinaceus europaeus because it feeds on insects and slugs.

Examples

  • The Erinaceus europaeus is commonly found in parks and gardens throughout Europe.

  • The Erinaceus europaeus is known for its distinctive spines.

  • Conservation groups are working to protect the natural habitat of Erinaceus europaeus across Britain.

  • Many people enjoy spotting the Erinaceus europaeus in their gardens.

  • Conservation groups are working to protect the natural habitat of Erinaceus europaeus across Britain.

  • Gardeners often welcome Erinaceus europaeus because it feeds on insects and slugs.

  • The Erinaceus europaeus is commonly found in parks and gardens throughout Europe.

Surface Forms

Erinaceus europaeus singular
Erinaceus europaei plural

Morphology

Erinaceus + europaeus

The specific epithet 'europaeus' transparently signals a European origin, a clue most learners could guess, but 'Erinaceus' is an arbitrary Latin genus name that does not itself indicate 'hedgehog' to a B1 learner without taxonomic knowledge. Because one constituent is transparent while the other requires specialist knowledge or prior exposure, the overall expression is only partly predictable.

Etymology

The scientific name Erinaceus europaeus comes from Latin: Erinaceus means 'hedgehog' and europaeus means 'from Europe'. So the name literally says 'hedgehog of Europe', which is why we use it for the common European hedgehog.