Where does “spine pig” come from?

spine pig (English) comes from English spine, from Middle English spyne, from Old French espine, from Latin spīna, from Proto-Italic speinā, from Proto-Indo-European spēy- — to stretch; thrive; succeed.

spine pig (English): Porcupine

Definitions

  1. Porcupine

Ancestry of “spine pig”, step by step

spine pig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English spine

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspineThe series of bones situated at the back from the...
2Middle EnglishspyneA spine
3Old Frenchespinespine; backbone; spine; spike
4Latinspīnaa thorn or a thorny tree or shrub, such as whitethorn, hawthorn, or blackthorn
5Proto-Italicspeināthorn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspēy-to stretch; thrive; succeed

via English pig

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpigAny of several intelligent mammalian species of...
2Middle EnglishpiggeA piglet or young pig; A pig irrespective of age;...
3Old Englishpicgaa young pig; piglet
4Proto-West Germanicpiggōpig
Every word from Proto-Indo-European spēy-Every word from Proto-Italic speināEvery word from Latin spīna