tortoise Hear it!

tortoise Definition

tor·toise (tôrtəs)

noun pl. tortoises -·toises or tortoise -·toise

a turtle, esp. one that lives on land, as any of a worldwide family (Testudinidae)

Etymology: ME tortuce < ML tortuca, altered (prob. by assoc. with L tortus, twisted) < VL *tartaruca < ? LGr tartarouchos, evil demon, orig., controlling Tartarus

tortoise Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • hibernate: Never ever attempt to hibernate a tortoise which you suspect is ill, or which is under weight.
  • spur: I bought a greek spur thighed tortoise 3 years ago.
  • overtake: Consequently, Achilles may run indefinitely without overtaking the tortoise.

Adjective modifier

  • spur-thighed: Andy Bee Tropical House Keeper said This is the first Spur-thighed tortoise to hatch at the zoo in many years.
  • thighed: I bought a greek spur thighed tortoise 3 years ago.
  • giant: Catching a giant tortoise from the bottom of the sea 45.

Modifies a noun

  • shell: Stylish tortoise shell ear piece is included with the gold frame.
  • keeper: In order to maintain the tortoises in good health it is necessary to educate tortoise keepers on treatment of parasites.
  • lover: The website is brillant didn't know there were so many tortoise lovers out there, glad to know you are there.
  • owner: I am a novice tortoise owner these are my first.

Noun used with modifier

  • hermanns: These dealers really make me mad as you can probably tell A sulcata cannot live with a hermanns tortoise.
  • hermans: I am the proud owner of two hermans tortoise.
  • leopard: Along with our leopard tortoise, we are very grateful.
  • faux: The evening bag body is mounted on to a faux tortoise shell celluloid plastic square base.
  • baby: I still have two spur thighs and at the moment I have a baby tortoise, which is the offspring of the original two.
  • giant: There they investigated reports of a very large dinosaur egg, which proved to be the carapace of a fossil giant tortoise.
tortoise Quotes

It is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market†hares have no time to read.

—Brookner, Anita

Browse dictionary entries near tortoise

  1. tortiously
  2. tortious
  3. tortilla
  4. tortile
  5. torticollis
  6. tortfeasor
  7. tortes
  8. torten
  9. tortellini
  10. torte
  1. tortoise beetle
  2. tortoise-shell
  3. tortoises
  4. tortoiseshell
  5. Tortola
  6. tortoni
  7. tortricid
  8. Tortuga
  9. tortuosities
  10. tortuosity