cavy

• enPR: kāʹvē, IPA^(key): /ˈkeɪ.vi/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪvi
• Homophone: cave (interjection)

From obsolete Portuguese çavia (“the spiny rat, Makalata armate, Echimys armata”) (modern saviá, sauiá), from Old Tupi saujá.

cavy (plural cavies)

1. Synonym of domestic guinea pig.

   Synonyms: domestic cavy, domestic guinea pig, guinea pig

2. Any rodent in the Caviidae.

cavy (comparative more cavy, superlative most cavy)

1. Alternative form of cavey (“cave-like”).
   • 1914, Nottingham (England). Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Year Book (page 46)

     Asser stated that the British name was Tiuogsbane, which means "the cavy place," and is taken to refer to homes hollowed out of the soft sandstone.

• VyAc