How Do You Spell URCHIN?
Pronunciation: [ˈɜːt͡ʃɪn] (IPA) 
Correct spelling for the English word "urchin" is [ˈɜːt͡ʃɪn], [ˈɜːtʃɪn], [ˈɜː_tʃ_ɪ_n] (IPA phonetic alphabet).
Pronunciation: [ˈɜːt͡ʃɪn] (IPA)
Correct spelling for the English word "urchin" is [ˈɜːt͡ʃɪn], [ˈɜːtʃɪn], [ˈɜː_tʃ_ɪ_n] (IPA phonetic alphabet).
An urchin is defined as a small, usually ragged and mischievous child who roams the streets, often living in poverty and displaying a lack of parental supervision. The term can also refer to a small, spiky marine creature known as a sea urchin.
In regards to its usage in describing a child, an urchin is typically characterized by a scruffy appearance, with unkempt hair, tattered clothing, and a grimy face. These children frequently engage in various acts of mischief, such as stealing, begging, or getting involved in minor crimes. Due to their impoverished circumstances, they are often neglected or abandoned by their parents, leading them to fend for themselves on the streets.
The term "urchin" can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who embodies mischievous or impish behavior, even in adulthood. In this context, it refers to an individual who displays a playful, mischievous, or unruly disposition, often causing minor disruptions or trouble without any harmful intentions.
When referring to the marine creature, an urchin is a small, spherical or globular animal covered in spines. Found in oceans around the world, sea urchins are related to starfish and have a hard exoskeleton. They use their spines for protection against predators and to navigate across rocky surfaces. Inside their shells, sea urchins possess a masticatory apparatus known as Aristotle's lantern, which is used for chewing vegetation and other food sources.
The hedgehog; a name in slight anger given to a child; sea-urchin, a creature having a spherical shell flattened on the lower side, and covered with prickly spines.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "urchin" has an interesting etymology. It originated from the Old French word "herichon", which was derived from the Latin "ericius", meaning "hedgehog". This Latin root came from the word "ericius" because hedgehogs were commonly associated with spiky or bristly hair and a somewhat mischievous nature.
Over time, the term "urchin" expanded to encompass more meanings. In Middle English, it came to refer to a spiny sea urchin, which was reminiscent of the bristly hedgehog. Eventually, the word's meaning shifted to describe a mischievous or unruly child, possibly because their disheveled appearance or behavior resembled the hedgehog or the spiky sea urchin.
Today, "urchin" primarily refers to a small, mischievous child or a ragged, unkempt person.
