'Guinea pig' definitions:
Definition of 'guinea pig'
(from WordNet)
noun
A person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation; "the subjects for this investigation were selected randomly"; "the cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities" [syn: subject, case, guinea pig]
noun
Stout-bodied nearly tailless domesticated cavy; often kept as a pet and widely used in research [syn: guinea pig, Cavia cobaya]
Definition of 'Guinea pig'
From: GCIDE
- Guinea pig \Guin"ea pig`\ [Prob. a mistake for Guiana pig.]
- 1. (Zool.) 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]