echinus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: e=chi=nus

CIDE DICTIONARY

echinus, n. [L., a hedgehog, sea urchin, Gr. 'echi^nos.].

•  A hedgehog.  [1913 Webster]
•  A genus of echinoderms, including the common edible sea urchin of Europe.  [1913 Webster]
•  The rounded molding forming the bell of the capital of the Grecian Doric style, which is of a peculiar elastic curve. See Entablature.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

echinus, n.
1 any sea urchin of the genus Echinus, including the common European edible urchin, E. esculentus.
2 Archit. a rounded moulding below an abacus on a Doric or Ionic capital.

Etymology

ME f. L f. Gk ekhinos hedgehog, sea urchin