guinea-pig
Unwitting experimental participant
A guinea pig is a small, tailless rodent kept as a pet or used in laboratory research.
Despite the name, guinea pigs are neither pigs nor from Guinea—they're South American.
The laboratory association gives rise to the figurative sense: a guinea pig is anyone used as a test subject for something new or experimental.
They're using us as guinea pigs for the new software.
Gnawing mammal order
- caviesTailless South American rodents
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
- incisorsFront cutting teeth
whiskers · furry · crepuscular · tailless · scurry · forage · gnawing · social
Judicial examination of claims
- laboratoryFacility for scientific investigation
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- controlAuthority to direct
- variableProne to fluctuation
placebo · study · biomedical · pharmacology · toxicology · protocol · double-blind · sample
One who keeps company
- cageBarred confinement structure
- hutchCage for small pets
- beddingMaterials covering a mattress
- pelletsSmall compressed spheres
grooming · veterinarian · alfalfa · squeaking · popcorning · handling · taming · socialization
rodent
Gnawing mammal order
- caviesTailless South American rodents
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
incisors · whiskers · furry · crepuscular · tailless · scurry · forage · gnawing · social · Andean
trial
Judicial examination of claims
- laboratoryFacility for scientific investigation
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- controlAuthority to direct
variable · placebo · study · biomedical · pharmacology · toxicology · protocol · double-blind · sample · volunteer
companion
One who keeps company
pellets · grooming · veterinarian · alfalfa · squeaking · popcorning · handling · taming · socialization · enclosure
fluffy
Soft and light-textured
soft · plump · compact · chubby · round · whiskered · pudgy · stocky · waddling · chunky
guinea-pigexperimenter
One who tests hypotheses
researcher · scientist · tester · investigator · control group
guinea-pigdecision-maker
One with choosing power
controller · mastermind · orchestrator · puppet master · authority
guinea-pigbeneficiary
Designated asset receiver
late adopter · end user · consumer · skeptic
guinea, pig, pigs, pigged, pigging, piggish, piggy, piglet, piglets