Tortoiseshell dictionary definition | tortoiseshell defined

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tortoiseshell

[-s̸hel′]

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noun

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 tortoise-shell

tortoiseshell

also tor·toise shell

noun

a. The mottled, horny, translucent, brownish covering of the carapace of certain tortoises or turtles, especially the hawksbill, formerly widely used to make combs, jewelry, and other articles.
b. A synthetic imitation of natural tortoiseshell.
See hawksbill.
A domestic cat having a coat with irregular patches of different colors, usually black and reddish-orange.
Any of several butterflies, chiefly of the genus Nymphalis, having wings with orange, black, and brown markings.

Related Forms:

tor′toise-shell′
adjective

tortoiseshell

Noun

(usually uncountable, plural tortoiseshells)

The horny, translucent, mottled covering of the carapace of the hawksbill turtle, used as a veneer etc.
The hawksbill turtle.
A domestic cat whose fur has black, brown and yellow markings.
Any of several butterflies, mostly of the genus Mymphalis that have similar markings.

Adjective

(not comparable)

made of the covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle
having markings resembling covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle

Origin

tortoise +‎ shell

A small tortoiseshell butterfly, Nymphalis urticae.

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Sentence Examples

Tortoiseshell, an important article of commerce, is derived from the Thalassochelys caretta, a sea turtle.
The exports are mahogany, rosewood, cedar, logwood and other cabinet-woods and dye-woods, with cocoanuts, sugar, sarsaparilla, tortoiseshell, deerskins, turtles and fruit, especially bananas.
The cultivated products include coffee, the Coco-nut palm, tobacco, sugar-cane, cotton, vanilla, sorghum, earthnuts, sesame, maize, rice, beans, peas, bananas (in large quantities), yams, manioc and hemp. Animal products are ivory, hides, tortoiseshell and pearls.
The produce of the Eastern Islands is also collected at its ports for re-exportation to India, China and Europe - namely, gold-dust, diamonds, camphor, benzoin and other drugs; edible bird-nests, trepang, rattans, beeswax, tortoiseshell, and dyeing woods from Borneo and Sumatra; tin from Banka; spices from the Moluccas; fine cloths from Celebes and Bali; and pepper from Sumatra.
Whalers, sealers and traders followed in the wake of explorers, the traders dealing chiefly in copra, trepang, pearls, tortoiseshell, &c. The first actual settlers in the islands were largely men of bad character - deserting sailors, escapers from the penal settlements in Australia and others.

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