guinea pig
noun
1
: a small stout-bodied short-eared tailless domesticated rodent (Cavia porcellus) of South American origin often kept as a pet and widely used in biological research
called also cavy
2
: a subject of research, experimentation, or testing
Examples of guinea pig in a Sentence
He volunteered to act as a guinea pig in the experiment.
Recent Examples on the Web
These are complicated concepts, and there's no logical reason to expect a company like McDonald's to solve them by using its workforce as guinea pigs for corporate social experiments.
—
Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
The shelter typically receives 2,000 animals a year, from cats and dogs to rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, parakeets, exotic birds, reptiles and chickens.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Rodents like gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, mice, squirrels and chipmunks.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 June 2025
Besides dogs and cats, animals allowed inside are birds, ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats and rabbits under 10 pounds.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for guinea pig
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Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
The shelter typically receives 2,000 animals a year, from cats and dogs to rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, parakeets, exotic birds, reptiles and chickens.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Rodents like gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, mice, squirrels and chipmunks.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 June 2025
Besides dogs and cats, animals allowed inside are birds, ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats and rabbits under 10 pounds.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for guinea pig
Cite this Entry
“Guinea pig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guinea%20pig. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
guinea pig
noun
guin·ea pig
ˈgin-ē-ˌ 
: a small stout-bodied short-eared nearly tailless domesticated rodent of the genus Cavia (C. cobaya) often kept as a pet and widely used in biological research
called also cavy
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