【医】 豚鼠, 天竺鼠, 荷兰猪

[ noun ]
stout-bodied nearly tailless domesticated cavy; often kept as a pet and widely used in research
<noun.animal>

Guinea pig \Guin"ea pig`\ [Prob. a mistake for Guiana pig.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A small Brazilian rodent ({Cavia porcellus} or
{Cavia cobaya}), about seven inches in length and usually
of a white color, with spots of orange and black. Called
also {cavy}. It is the domesticated form of the wild cavy,
often kept as a pet and used commonly as an experimental
animal in laboratory research.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

2. Hence, [figuratively]: Any animal or person used in an
experiment; -- also applied to people who are unwillingly
or unknowingly subjected by authorities to policies or
procedures which might cause bodily or mental harm.
[PJC]

3. A contemptuous sobriquet. [Obs.] --Smollett
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]


Cavy \Ca"vy\, n.; pl. {Cavies}. [NL. cavia, fr. Brazilian
cabiai: cf. F. cabiai.] (Zo["o]l.)
A rodent of the genera {Cavia} and {Dolichotis}, as the
guinea pig ({Cavia cobaya}). Cavies are natives of South
America.

{Water cavy} (Zo["o]l.), The capybara.