A guinea pig is neither a pig, nor does it come from Guinea. But it makes somewhat similar sounds like that of a pig and is also almost built like a pig, a large head, a stout neck, a smaller body in relation to its head and neck and a tail of very little consequence. Its name is possibly derived from the following words, derived from different European languages, which suggest that it resembles a pig to some extent: Meerschweinchen (German for 'little sea pigs'), morskaya svinka (Russian), svinka morska (Polish), mochyn cwta (Welsh for 'little pig'), Cochon d'Inde (French for 'Indian pig'), guinees biggetje (Dutch for 'Guinean piglet'), juros kuioles (Lithuanian for 'sea pig'), marsvin (Scandinavian, from Latin 'mare', meaning ocean and Norwegian/Swedish/Danish 'svin', meaning pig), indika xoiridia (Greek for 'small Indian pigs'), Porquinho da India (Portuguese for 'little Indian pig'), the Italian words Porcellino d'India (Little Indian Pig) or Caviana Peruviana (Peruvian Cavy) and the Spanish word Conejillo de Indias (Indian bunny rabbit/Indies bunny). Cavia porcellus is the scientific name for a guinea pig. It literally means 'little pig' in Latin. Guinea was probably a corruption of Guiana, a faraway and unknown country, from where they were possibly brought into Europe. Another explanation is that a pig was the only thing that could be bought in exchange for one guinea (an old English coin worth 21 shillings or 1.05 pounds sterling in the present day.)
