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tortoiseshell

noun

  1. 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.
  2. a synthetic substance made in imitation of this
  3. a mottled, yellow-and-brown color pattern
  4. any of several common, black and yellow-brown butterflies (genus Nymphalis) with markings resembling those of tortoise shell
  5. a cat with a mottled coat of black, brown, red or yellow, white, etc.

See tortoiseshell in American Heritage Dictionary 4

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