igelkott
/ˈiːɡɛlˌkɔt/common gender
The Swedish word for hedgehog is igelkott.
igelkott is a common-gender noun used to refer to the animal known as a hedgehog.
Meaning: animal (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound formed from igel, meaning hedgehog-like and kott, meaning cone.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈiːɡɛlˌkɔt/
Did you know?
- The word igelkott is used in the Swedish idiom igelkott-strategi to describe a defensive posture where someone protects themselves with 'spikes' to avoid vulnerability.
- Swedish speakers use the word taggar for a hedgehog's quills, which is the same word used for the 'thorns' on a rose or the 'spikes' on a fence.
- The term kott in the name igelkott originally meant any 'rounded object', though today it is most commonly used for a 'pine cone'.
Examples in context
- Jag såg en igelkott i trädgården idag.I saw a hedgehog in the garden today.
- En igelkott bor i trädgården.A hedgehog lives in the garden.
- Jag såg en liten igelkott igår.I saw a little hedgehog yesterday.
- Var är den där söta igelkotten?Where is that cute hedgehog?
Example conversation
Erik and Maja are looking at the garden after dark.
- ErikTitta, där är en igelkott!Look, there is a hedgehog!
- MajaÅh, den är så söt.Oh, it is so cute.
- ErikSka vi ge den lite mat?Shall we give it some food?
- MajaJa, låt oss göra det.Yes, let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hedgehog” translations and entries igelkott, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries igelkott, CC BY-SA 4.0.
