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  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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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  5. If someone is being used to test a new product or idea, they can be called a "guinea pig" (because Guinea Pigs are usually used by medical labs for testing). What is another term that would carry the same meaning (other than "lab rat")?

  6. Dec 22, 2009 · The guinea pig (or “cavy”), a small rodent of the genus Cavia, originated in South America but is now found in cages – and on laps – throughout the world. So it isn’t from Guinea (which is the name of both a country and a region in western Africa), and it isn’t a pig.

  7. 6 days ago · They kept him awake for a week straight. (dated, slang) A professional company director, without time or real qualifications for the duties. (nautical, obsolete) A midshipman in the East India service; (by extension) a low-skilled or non-proficient seaman. A good seaman he is... none of your guinea-pigs.

  8. What does the saying 'Guinea-pig' mean? Idiom: Guinea-pig. Meaning: If you are a guinea-pig, you take part in an experiment of some sort and are used in the testing. Country: International English | Subject Area: Animals | Usage Type: Both or All Words Used. Contributor: Richard Flynn.

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