brush-tail porcupine

9.9

A large animal with sharp spines and a brush of stiff hairs at the end of its tail

noun

Specialized

: puercoespín de cola cepillo

Researchers observed a brush-tail porcupine using its bristled tail to ward off predators.

Examples

Unlike other porcupines, the brush-tail porcupine has distinctive beaded bristles on its tail.
The brush-tail porcupine is native to parts of Africa and Asia.
The brush-tail porcupine is native to Australia.
I saw a brush-tail porcupine at the wildlife park.
Researchers observed a brush-tail porcupine using its bristled tail to ward off predators.
Unlike other porcupines, the brush-tail porcupine has distinctive beaded bristles on its tail.
I saw a brush-tail porcupine at the wildlife park.

Synonyms

brush-tailed porcupine

vsbrush-tail porcupine

Specialized

9.9

A rodent with a brush of stiff, bead-like hairs at the tip of its tail

is the same species but calls the tuft bristly hairs and uses different tail form

Surface Forms

brush-tail porcupine singular

brush-tail porcupines plural

Morphology

brush-tail + porcupine

The phrase describes a porcupine characterized by a tail that looks like a brush; a learner who knows 'brush', 'tail' and 'porcupine' can transparently infer a tufted or brush-like tail. This kind of descriptive compound naming of animals is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Brush-tail porcupine comes from the animal's tail that looks like a brush: the end has a bunch of stiff, brush-like hairs. The name links brush and tail to that picture, so it helps you remember the porcupine species with this special tail that can 'scare away' predators.