urchin
UK: ˈɜːtʃɪn | US: ˈɜːrtʃɪn
n. a small, mischievous child, often poorly dressed
n. a sea urchin (marine animal with a spiny shell)
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The word "urchin" originated from Middle English irchoun, derived from Old French herichon (hedgehog), which in turn came from Latin ericius (hedgehog). The term initially referred to hedgehogs due to their spiny appearance, later extending metaphorically to describe ragged, prickly-haired children and eventually the spiny sea creature. The semantic shift reflects the visual similarity between hedgehogs and sea urchins, as well as the unkempt appearance of mischievous youngsters.
The street urchin darted through the crowd, snatching an apple from the vendor.
She collected seashells and a lone urchin from the tide pool.
In medieval tales, fairies were said to disguise themselves as urchins.
The fisherman carefully avoided the sharp spines of the urchin.
The novel’s protagonist grew up as an orphaned urchin in London’s slums.