: any of a subfamily (Erinaceinae) of Eurasian and African nocturnal insectivores that have both hair and spines which they present outwardly by rolling themselves up when threatened
b
: any of several spiny mammals (such as a porcupine)
2
a
: a military defensive obstacle (as of barbed wire)
b
: a well-fortified military stronghold
Illustration of hedgehog
hedgehog 1a
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There are 14 species of hedgehogs. All prefer animal food, such as insects, but will eat plant material. There are nine species of spiny hedgehogs. They have short, barbless spines on the back, a round body, small head, pointed face, and little or no tail, and range from 4 in (10 cm) to 17 in (44 cm) long. Spiny hedgehogs are native to Britain, North Africa, and Asia; one species was introduced into New Zealand. There are five species of hairy hedgehog; all are Asian. They have coarse guard hairs, but no spines and are extremely malodorous. The common hairy hedgehog may be 18 in (46 cm) long and have a 12-in (30 cm) tail.
Examples of hedgehog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebSnails are also a source of food for many other animals, including birds, hedgehogs, moles, amphibians and reptiles.—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024 While cats might love Roombas, not all animal encounters with robots are positive: Guide dogs for the visually impaired can get confused by delivery robots, for example, while the rise of lawn mowing robots can have a negative impact on hedgehogs, per Benford et al.—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024 The gaudy purple of the hedgehogs; the yellow, orange and peach of the prickly pears; and finally the ivory cream of the saguaros add their own touch of drama.—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 Humane Society Executive Director Karen Baker said 32 dogs, five cats, six chickens, six parakeets, four chinchillas, two hedgehogs, one rabbit, one rat and one mouse were moved to the animal shelter following the fire.—Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hedgehog
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hedgehog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: any of several mammals of Europe, Asia, and Africa that eat insects, have sharp spines mixed with the hair on their back, and are able to roll themselves up into a spiny ball when threatened
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