urchins
|ur-chins|
🇺🇸
/ˈɝtʃɪnz/
🇬🇧
/ˈɜːtʃɪnz/
(urchin)
small, spiny (or scrappy) being
Etymology
'urchin' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ericius', where 'ericius' meant 'hedgehog'.
'urchin' passed into Old French (forms like 'orichon'/'ourice') meaning 'hedgehog', entered Middle English as 'urchon' and later developed into the modern English form 'urchin'.
Initially, it referred to a 'hedgehog'; over time the word came to be applied to spiny sea animals (sea urchins) and figuratively to scrappy or mischievous children ('street urchins').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
small, often spiny marine animals (members of the class Echinoidea); commonly called sea urchins.
The tide pools were full of colorful urchins.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/11/02 08:15