urchin

urchin
urchin (n.) late 13c., yrichon "hedgehog," from O.N.Fr. *irechon (Cf. Picard irechon, Walloon ireson, Hainaut hirchon), from O.Fr. herichun "hedgehog" (Mod.Fr. hérisson), formed with dim. suffix -on from V.L. *hericionem, from L. ericius "hedgehog," from PIE root *gher- "to bristle" (Cf. Gk. kheros "hedgehog;" see HORROR (Cf. horror)).
Still used for "hedgehog" in non-standard speech in Cumbria, Yorkshire, Shropshire. Applied throughout 16c. to people whose appearance or behavior suggested hedgehogs, from hunchbacks (1520s) to goblins (1580s) to bad girls (c.1530); meaning "poorly or raggedly clothed youngster" emerged 1550s, but was not in frequent use until after c.1780. Sea urchin is recorded from 1590s (a 19c. Newfoundland name for them was whore's eggs).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Urchin — or urcheon is the old English term for hedgehog. As such, it is applied to many things that take a similar form to a hedgehog: * Sea urchins are spiny sea creatures that are round and prickly like hedgehogs. * In old theater, urchin was a common… …   Wikipedia

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  • Urchin — Ur chin ([^u] ch[i^]n), n. [OE. urchon, irchon, a hedgehog, OF. ire[,c]on, eri[,c]on, heri[,c]on, herichon, F. h[ e]risson, a derivative fr. L. ericius, from er a hedgehog, for her; akin to Gr. chh r. Cf. {Herisson}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Urchin — Ur chin, a. Rough; pricking; piercing. [R.] Helping all urchin blasts. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • urchin — ► NOUN 1) a mischievous child, especially a raggedly dressed one. 2) archaic a goblin. 3) a sea urchin. ORIGIN Old French herichon hedgehog , from Latin hericius …   English terms dictionary

  • urchin — [ʉr′chin] n. [ME irchoun < OFr heriçun < L ericius, hedgehog < er, hedgehog, for earlier * her < IE base * ĝher , to bristle, be stiff > L horrere, to bristle, Gr chēr, porcupine] 1. Archaic a hedgehog 2. SEA URCHIN 3. a small… …   English World dictionary

  • urchin — [n] mischievious youngster brat*, cub, dickens*, gamin, imp, juvenile delinquent, punk*, pup*, ragamuffin, waif; concept 423 …   New thesaurus

  • urchin — /err chin/, n. 1. a mischievous boy. 2. any small boy or youngster. 3. See sea urchin. 4. either of two small rollers covered with card clothing used in conjunction with the cylinder in carding. 5. Chiefly Brit. Dial. a hedgehog. 6. Obs. an elf… …   Universalium

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