wild cavy
- noun
- /waɪld ˈkeɪvi/
:
cuy silvestre
- Some scientists believe the wild cavy is the ancestor of today's domesticated guinea pig.
Examples
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Unlike its domesticated cousin, the wild cavy prefers open fields to human homes.
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The wild cavy roams the grasslands of South America in large groups.
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The wild cavy is often found in grasslands.
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Did you see a wild cavy in the park?
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Some scientists believe the wild cavy is the ancestor of today's domesticated guinea pig.
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The wild cavy roams the grasslands of South America in large groups.
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Unlike its domesticated cousin, the wild cavy prefers open fields to human homes.
Synonyms
1
9.4
A small South American rodent like a guinea pig
A small wild animal like a guinea pig that lives in South American grasslands
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is a straightforward composition of 'wild' (not domesticated) + 'cavy' (a short-tailed rodent), so its meaning — a cavy living in the wild — is directly derivable from the parts. This is a regular adjective+noun combination following common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand it.
Etymology
Wild cavy names a small South American rodent. wild means not tame and cavy comes from the animal name Cavia, a group that looks like a guinea pig. Imagine a tiny, guinea-pig-like creature running in open fields; that's why wild cavy means a wild relative and possible 'ancestor' of the pet guinea pig.