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riccio

hedgehog

noun REECH-choh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'ericius' (hedgehog).

Also means

sea urchin

Usage Note

Riccio covers both the land hedgehog and the sea urchin (riccio di mare); context or the full phrase clarifies which is meant. It also means 'curl' or 'curly' as an adjective (capelli ricci = curly hair). The plural i ricci is regular.

Examples

"Il riccio si arrotola in una palla."

Natural Translation

The hedgehog curls up into a ball.

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