Carapace definition
(zoology) A hard bony or chitinous outer covering, such as the fused dorsal plates of a turtle or the portion of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean.
noun
A protective, shell-like covering likened to that of a turtle or crustacean.
noun
(zoology) A hard bony or chitinous outer covering, such as the fused dorsal plates of a turtle or the portion of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean.
noun
A hard outer covering or shell made of bone or chitin on the back of animals such as turtles, armadillos, lobsters, and crabs.
The horny, protective covering over all or part of the back of certain animals, as the upper shell of the turtle, armadillo, crab, etc.
noun
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In figurative use.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
carapace
Plural:
carapacesOrigin of carapace
- French from Spanish carapacho
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From French carapace (“tortoise shell”), from Portuguese carapaça (“carapace, shell”), of uncertain origin. Compare Catalan carabassa.
From Wiktionary