a small nocturnal Old World mammal with a spiny coat and short legs, able to roll itself into a ball for defence.
Family Erinaceidae: four genera and several species, including the common Erinaceus europaeus (which is predominantly insectivorous) of western and northern Europe
any other animal covered with spines, especially (North American) a porcupine.
used in names of plants or fruits resembling a hedgehog in having spines, e.g. hedgehog cactus, hedgehog holly.
Origin:
late Middle English: from hedge(from its habitat) + hog (from its piglike snout)
hedgehog in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of hedgehog in the US English dictionary
