echidna

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: e=chid=na

CIDE DICTIONARY

echidna, n. [L., a viper, adder, Gr. 'e`chidna.].

•  A monster, half maid and half serpent.  [1913 Webster]
•  A genus of Monotremata found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. They are toothless and covered with spines; -- called also porcupine ant-eater, and Australian ant-eater.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

echidna, n. any of several egg-laying pouch-bearing mammals native to Australia and New Guinea, with a covering of spines, and having a long snout and long claws. Also called spiny anteater.

Etymology

mod.L f. Gk ekhidna viper