Word Study
cavy
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun cavy has 1 sense
- cavy(n = noun.animal) Array - short-tailed rough-haired South American rodent; Array is a kind of gnawer, rodent
is a member of cavia, genus cavia
has particulars: cavia cobaya, guinea pig, aperea, cavia porcellus, wild cavy
CIDE DICTIONARY
cavy, n. [NL. cavia, fr. Brazilian cabiai: cf. F. cabiai.].
A rodent of the genera Cavia and Dolichotis , as the guinea pig (Cavia cobaya ). Cavies are natives of South America. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
cavy, n. (pl. -ies) any small rodent of the family Caviidae, native to S. America and having a sturdy body and vestigial tail, including guinea pigs.
Etymology
mod.L cavia f. Galibi cabiai
For further exploring for "cavy" in Webster Dictionary Online
