guinea pig
noun
1
: a small stout-bodied short-eared tailless domesticated rodent (Cavia porcellus) of South American origin often kept as a pet and widely used in biological research
called also cavy
2
: a subject of research, experimentation, or testing
Examples of guinea pig in a Sentence
He volunteered to act as a guinea pig in the experiment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Man with Terminal Illness Wants to Find His Dog Best Friend a New Home Before His Death
Guinea pigs Drew and Luke, both 9-month-old males, are also up for adoption and are both looking for homes with another guinea pig companion.
—
Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024
In the video, shared by Storyful, the 12-year-old Rosie moves to a corner behind her house searching for her pet guinea pig, MaxiBon.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guinea pig 
Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 20 May 2024
In the video, shared by Storyful, the 12-year-old Rosie moves to a corner behind her house searching for her pet guinea pig, MaxiBon.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 31 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for guinea pig
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'guinea pig.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Guinea pig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guinea%20pig. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
guinea pig
noun
guin·ea pig
ˈgin-ē-ˌ 
: a small stout-bodied short-eared nearly tailless domesticated rodent of the genus Cavia (C. cobaya) often kept as a pet and widely used in biological research
called also cavy
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