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Glite Dictionary
cavy

cavy

1 9.4
A small South American rodent like a guinea pig
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪvi/
translation icon : cobayo
  • At the animal shelter, I saw a cavy that needed a new home.

Examples

  • THEY STOLE ANOTHER CAVY OF HORSES JUST TWO DAYS AGO. - I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THESE RAIDS ARE DONE BY GHOSTS.

    The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979)

  • The cavy is often kept as a pet because of its friendly nature.

  • Many students were excited to learn about the cavy during the biology class.

Synonyms

Cavia
vscavy
  • Specialized
9.4

A group of animals that includes guinea pigs

is the common name for short tailed South American rodents including guinea pigs

Compounds

wild cavy
9.1

A small South American animal like a guinea pig that lives in fields

Surface Forms

cavy singular
cavies plural

Etymology

Cavy comes from the scientific name Cavia, a word that reached English through Spanish and Portuguese from a local South American word. So, a cavy is a South American rodent like the guinea pig, which explains the word's modern meaning.