: any of a subfamily (Erinaceinae) of Eurasian and African nocturnal insectivores that have both hair and spines which they present outwardly by rolling themselves up when threatened
b
: any of several spiny mammals (such as a porcupine)
2
a
: a military defensive obstacle (as of barbed wire)
b
: a well-fortified military stronghold
Illustration of hedgehog
hedgehog 1a
Did you know?
There are 14 species of hedgehogs. All prefer animal food, such as insects, but will eat plant material. There are nine species of spiny hedgehogs. They have short, barbless spines on the back, a round body, small head, pointed face, and little or no tail, and range from 4 in (10 cm) to 17 in (44 cm) long. Spiny hedgehogs are native to Britain, North Africa, and Asia; one species was introduced into New Zealand. There are five species of hairy hedgehog; all are Asian. They have coarse guard hairs, but no spines and are extremely malodorous. The common hairy hedgehog may be 18 in (46 cm) long and have a 12-in (30 cm) tail.
Examples of hedgehog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mendocino is home to some 3,000 mushroom species, including hundreds of chef-worthy varieties like porcini, hedgehog and golden chanterelle.—John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025 And throughout much of Europe, this custom was associated with animals like bears, badgers and hedgehogs that were beginning to wake from winter hibernation.—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025 The holiday was embraced by the Germans, who added a hedgehog to the proceedings.—Rachel Dobkin, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025 And now there's another new hedgehog who can live on to fight alongside Team Sonic in the future.—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hedgehog
: any of several mammals of Europe, Asia, and Africa that eat insects, have sharp spines mixed with the hair on their back, and are able to roll themselves up into a spiny ball when threatened
Share