- the hard, mottled, yellow-and-brown shell of some turtles and tortoises, used in inlaying and, esp. formerly, in making combs, frames for eyeglasses, etc.
- a synthetic substance made in imitation of this
- a mottled, yellow-and-brown color pattern
- any of several common, black and yellow-brown butterflies (genus Nymphalis) with markings resembling those of tortoise shell
- a cat with a mottled coat of black, brown, red or yellow, white, etc.
Also tor′toise-shell·
