A small furry rodent with a rounded body, short ears, and no visible tail, commonly kept as a pet and used in scientific research.
From Guinea (West African region) + pig. Despite the name, guinea pigs are rodents from South America, not pigs, and the 'Guinea' origin is unclear—possibly named for the price (a guinea coin) or the trade route through Guinea.
Guinea pigs have one of the most misleading names in biology—they're not pigs, they don't come from Guinea, and scientists don't even know why they're called that, yet the name has stuck for 500 years because it's so established!
Misnomer from 16th-century European naming; 'pig' gendered the animal through masculine livestock associations. Rodents were routinely misnamed when colonially imported, often with gendered animal categories.
Use 'guinea pig' or scientific term 'Cavia porcellus' neutrally. The common name is entrenched but not inherently gendered in modern usage.
["Cavia porcellus","cavy"]
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