Definition of «urchin»

An urchin is a small, often mischievous child or young person. The term comes from the Middle English word “orchyn,” which means “spiteful person” and was used to describe children who were considered unruly or disobedient. In modern usage, an urchin may also refer to a type of sea creature that lives on the ocean floor and has spiny projections for defense.

Usage examples

  1. The children spotted a small urchin hiding among the rocks near the shoreline.
  2. The old man handed a piece of bread to the hungry street urchin.
  3. I saw a group of mischievous urchins playing soccer in the park.
  4. The artist drew a charming picture of a sea urchin in his sketchbook.
  5. The young girl was startled when she accidentally stepped on a spiky sea urchin while walking along the beach.
  6. The documentary showcased the challenges faced by urban urchins in poverty-stricken areas.
  7. As we walked through the market, a little urchin approached us, offering to shine our shoes for a few coins.
  8. The dilapidated building served as a shelter for the city's homeless urchins.
  9. The novel's protagonist was a brave young urchin who navigated the treacherous streets of Victorian London.
  10. The marine biologist carefully handled the delicate sea urchin while conducting research on its anatomy.

Sentences with «urchin»

  • Sea otters are recovering in key areas of southern and central California, and through their role as an apex predator they are helping to restore ecosystem health by keeping populations of sea urchins in check and preying on invasive species, for example. (sciencedaily.com)
  • Mission Vao (pronounced / «mɪʃɪn «veo /) was a female Rutian Twi «lek who lived as a street urchin on... Seeking Singles & Romance Online for FREE? (myintimcity.com)
  • There are patches of sea urchins in the shallows, so look out for black spiky clusters. (ingili.com)
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