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- It’s not so much slang as it is a popular idiom. Guinea pig literally refers to the cute rodent, but using it to describe someone as a test subject is an established and widely understood idiomatic expression. So, it’s a step above casual slang and has earned its spot in standard English.
grammarist.com/idiom/guinea-pig/Guinea Pig — Meaning, Idiom & Expression Origin - GRAMMARIST
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Nov 8, 2010 · Guinea pigs are often used as a metaphor for any subject of scientific experimentation (e.g. "human guinea pigs"), and this idea persists even though guinea pigs are no longer commonly used as modern experimental animals, as rats and mice (which breed quicker) have replaced them.
a small, furry animal with rounded ears, short legs, and no tail, often kept as a pet and for use in scientific experiments. fig. A guinea pig is also a person used in a test, esp. one to discover how effective a new drug or process is:
Is Calling Someone a Guinea Pig Slang? It’s not so much slang as it is a popular idiom. Guinea pig literally refers to the cute rodent, but using it to describe someone as a test subject is an established and widely understood idiomatic expression.
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What is another term that would carry the same meaning (other than "lab rat")? I don't simply want other words for "guinea pig", like rodent or cavy. I'm hoping someone knows of a good term with the same interpretation but completely different and unrelated to "guinea pig".
What's the origin of the phrase 'Guinea-pig'? It isn’t at all clear why these cute family pets came to be given their name. They are cavies, not pigs, and they don’t originate from Guinea. Both ‘guinea’ and ‘pig’ seem to stem from simple, but mistaken, associations.
A GUINEA PIG definition: a person on whom new ideas or methods are tested | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples.
6 days ago · guinea pig (plural guinea pigs) A tailless rodent of the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia , with short ears and larger than a hamster ; the species Cavia porcellus is often kept as a pet . Synonym: ( formal name ) cavy