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  1. pika love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Any of several small, tailless, furry mammals of the genus Ochotona of the mountains of North America and Eurasia, resembling guinea pigs but belonging to the order of lagomorphs that includes the hares and rabbits. Also called coney1, rock rabbit.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A small rodent quadruped of the genus Lagomys, family Lagomyidæ, belonging to the duplicidentate or lagomorphic series of the Rodentia, inhabiting alpine regions of the northern hemisphere. It is of about the size of a rat, with soft fur, large rounded ears, and very short tail. There are several species. Also called calling-hare, little chief hare, rat-hare, and cony. See cut under Lagomys.

Wiktionary

  1. n. Any of several small, furry mammals, similar to guinea pigs, of the family Ochotonidae, from the mountains of North America and Asia.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of tailless rodents of the genus Ochotona (formerly Lagomys), resembling small rabbits, but with short ears alnd legs. They inhabit the high mountains of Asia and America. Called also calling hare, and crying hare and rock rabbit. See chief hare.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. small short-eared burrowing mammal of rocky uplands of Asia and western North America

Etymologies

  1. Evenki piika, perhaps from Russian pikat', to squeak. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “This occurs despite warnings from conservation scientists that the pika is a keystone species? meaning its removal would have far-reaching consequences including a scarcity of food for mammals and birds that feed on it.”

    The Guardian: Biodiversity 100: actions for Asia

  • “The argument that the pika is a pest, degrading rangeland and reducing food stocks for yak and sheep, is not supported by any evidence.”

    The Guardian: Biodiversity 100: actions for Asia

  • “In the controversial Lighting Up the Sky over Hiroshima (2009), Chim Pom created the Japanese word pika (sparkling light), seen in the sky from an aeroplane, reminding Hiroshima residents of the atomic bomb.”

    Bangkokpost.com : Breaking News

  • “The pika is also known as the "whistling hare" due to its high-pitched alarm call when diving into its burrow.”

    Archive 2006-12-01

  • “The pika is a remnant of the glacial age in and has very narrow habitat range in the central mountains around Mt. Daisetsu.”

    Hokkaido montane conifer forests

  • “Found in California's Sierra Nevada range and the Rocky Mountains, the pika is a rabbit-like mammal that has been considered symbolic of the impact of global warming because it can overheat and die at temperatures above 78 degrees.”

    EcoEarth.Info Environment RSS Newsfeed

  • “At the time, the pika was the first non-Alaskan species to be considered for Endangered Species Act protection due to threats resulting from global warming.”

    Global Warming RSS Newsfeed

  • “Soon, if conservationists have their way, the pika could be the first species in the lower”

    kstp.com - MORE NEWS

  • “Soon, if conservationists have their way, the pika could be the first species in the lower 48 states to get federal endangered species protections primarily because of the effects of climate change.”

    AOL News

  • “The pika is the fire alarm and this is our opportunity to come to grips with global warming and prevent an extinction crisis," Loarie said.”

    WTOP / Business / Biz Stories

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hypernyms (2)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. lagomorph
  1. gnawing mammal

hyponyms (4)

Words that are more specific

  1. little chief hare
  1. ochotona princeps
  1. ochotona collaris
  1. collared pika

same context (13)

Words that are found in similar contexts

  1. law
  2. duck-billed
  1. echidna
  2. way!moredescription
  1. Uganda
  2. spirit
  1. renegado
  2. plenipotentiary
  1. sideshow
  2. endcap
  1. whale-fishery
  2. legation
  1. tuatara

reverse dictionary (16)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. little chief hare
  2. ochotona princeps
  3. rat-hare
  1. rock rabbit
  2. coney
  3. chief hare
  1. ogotona
  2. piping-hare
  3. calling-hare
  1. cave-pika
  2. duplicidentate
  3. lagomorphic
  1. lagomyid
  2. chinchilla
  3. cony
  1. mouse-hare

tags (1)

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  1. conversations of legend

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Lists

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Comments

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  • Prolagus See also Prolagus. Mar 31, 2008

  • skipvia They're definitely not hunters, and they spend most of their waking hours gathering plants and grasses for the winter (and also to line their nests, since they don't hibernate) but they are opportunistic feeders and will eat carrion if they find it and if the wolves don't get to it (or them) first. Nov 9, 2007

  • chained_bear Wait! I thought they were vegetarians!

    Anyway... there are worse things to be than a really cute scavenger. I think. Maybe. Nov 9, 2007

  • reesetee Or if you do, try to kick around a bit. Nov 9, 2007

  • trivet Wow! I had no idea that pikas would scavenge. I remember them bustling about and making hay. Skipvia, thanks (I think) for that information. Next time I'm in the mountains, I won't take a nap. Nov 9, 2007

  • reesetee Skipvia, I can finally say that I know someone who's photographed pika poop.

    Uh oh...this will probably need a name to go on chained_bear's excrement list. Nov 9, 2007

  • skipvia Nothing left but the hair and bones, and they were starting to gnaw the bones. They're not vicious--just surviving. Nov 9, 2007

  • chained_bear Well, what cute creature *doesn't* strip a caribou carcass in pretty short order?

    *still a little stunned* Nov 9, 2007

  • skipvia Pika are undeniably adorable, c_b, but they are also ravenous and can strip a caribou carcass in pretty short order. I posted a few pictures of a caribou skeleton that we came across a couple of years ago on a backcountry trip. You can see the extent of pika droppings in many of the photos. I love watching them.

    Even their poop is cute... Nov 9, 2007

  • chained_bear If you want to get cute-overloaded, go look on YouTube for some pika footage. They're adorable. Nov 8, 2007

  • yarb bryulik: I love pika pika. Thanks. Nov 8, 2007

  • bryulik pika pika is the sound of sun for japanese Nov 8, 2007

  • slumry Indeed! One opinion is that their name came from a Russian word meaning "to squeak!" Jul 23, 2007

  • trivet eeeeep! Jul 23, 2007

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‘pika’ has been looked up 2723 times, added to 12 lists, commented on 14 times, and has a Scrabble score of 10.