A hedgehog is a small mammal with sharp quills that protects its body.
You might see hedgehogs on TV or in pictures, but they also live in gardens and parks. People who care for wildlife try to keep hedgehogs safe by providing food and shelter for them. Some people even have pet hedgehogs, but it's not always easy to take care of these prickly creatures. If you're out walking, be careful not to step on a hedgehog because they curl up into balls when scared or threatened, which can make them hard to see.
How common is "hedgehog"?
Word hedgehog is considered rare in modern English. It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions
noun
A small mammal, of the family Erinaceidae or subfamily Erinaceinae (spiny hedgehog, the latter characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked.)
Any of several spiny mammals, such as the porcupine, that are similar to the hedgehog.
A type of moveable military barricade made from crossed logs or steel bars, laced with barbed wire, used to damage or impede tanks and vehicles; Czech hedgehog.
A spigot mortar-type of depth charge weapon from World War II that simultaneously fires a number of explosives into the water to create a pattern of underwater explosions intended to attack submerged submarines.
A type of chocolate cake (or slice), somewhat similar to an American brownie.
A form of dredging machine.
Certain flowering plants with parts resembling a member of family Erinaceidae
The edible fungus Hydnum repandum.
A kind of electrical transformer with open magnetic circuit, the ends of the iron wire core being turned outward and presenting a bristling appearance.
A way of serving food at a party, consisting of a half melon or potato etc. with individual cocktail sticks of cheese and pineapple stuck into it.
