cochon d'Inde
/kɔ.ʃɔ̃ d‿ɛ̃d/
The French term for guinea pig is cochon d'Inde.
In this context, the term refers to the guinea pig as an experimental subject.
Meaning: experimental subject (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cochon d'Inde literally translates to 'pig of India'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of southern France and Switzerland, the term rat d'Inde is used informally to refer to guinea pigs.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔ.ʃɔ̃ d‿ɛ̃d/
Did you know?
- The word cobaye is derived from 'cobaia', a word from the Kikongo language used by sailors in the Congo basin.
- The name cochon d'Inde stems from an ancient geographical error where explorers mistakenly believed the Americas were part of the Indies.
- A French speaker might use cobaye to refer to a human participant in an experiment, whereas cochon d'Inde is almost exclusively reserved for the actual animal.
Examples in context
- Marie a reçu un cochon d'Inde pour Noël.Mary got a Guinea pig for Christmas.This sentence shows how to use cochon d'Inde when mentioning receiving one as a gift.Tatoeba #3711893 by GB3, translation #3711871 by Hybrid
- J'ai acheté un adorable cochon d'Inde hier.I bought an adorable guinea pig yesterday.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new software trial.
- ChloéLucas, veux-tu essayer le nouveau logiciel ?Lucas, do you want to try the new software?
- LucasPourquoi moi ? Je ne suis pas un cochon d'Inde !Why me? I'm not a guinea pig!
- ChloéC'est juste pour voir s'il y a des bugs.It's just to see if there are any bugs.
- LucasD'accord, je vais essayer pour cette fois.Alright, I'll try it this time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cochon d'Inde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
