Meaning

noun a burrowing monotreme mammal covered with spines and having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites; native to New Guinea

noun a burrowing monotreme mammal covered with spines and having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites; native to Australia

originCoined in scientific literature around 1811. Probably from Ancient Greek ἔχιδνα (ékhidna, “snake, viper”) via Latin echidna. Compare ἐχῖνος (ekhînos, “hedgehog, etc.”). However, this sense is problematic (unless it is a reference to the ant-eating tongue). The name perhaps belongs to Latin echinus (“sea urchin, hedgehog”) from the aforementioned Ancient Greek term's alternate sense of…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0