Turtle definition

tûrtl
turtled turtles turtling
See word origin
Frequency:
Any of various members of this order that live in fresh or brackish water, in contrast to the terrestrial tortoises.
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Any of various aquatic or terrestrial egg-laying reptiles of the order Testudines (or Chelonia), having horny toothless jaws and a bony or leathery shell into which the head, limbs, and tail can be withdrawn in most species.
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The flesh of certain turtles, used for food.
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(nautical) To capsize.
verb
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The definition of a turtle is an aquatic reptile and is a member of the order Testudines or Chelonia.

An example of a turtle is a sea turtle.

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A turtleneck.
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Any of a large and widely distributed order (Testudines) of terrestrial or aquatic reptiles having a toothless beak and a soft body encased in a tough shell into which, in most species, the head, tail, and four legs may be withdrawn.
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The flesh of some turtles, used as food.
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To hunt for turtles.
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Any land or marine reptile of the order Testudines, characterised by a protective shell enclosing its body.
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(Australia, UK) A sea turtle.
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(military) An Ancient Roman attack method, where the shields held by the soldiers hide them, not only left, right, front and back, but also from above.
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(computing) A type of robot having a domed case (so resembling the reptile), used in education, especially for making line drawings by means of a computer program.
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(computing) An on-screen cursor that serves the same function as a turtle for drawing.
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(printing, historical) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press.
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To flip over onto the back or top; to turn upside down.
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To turn and swim upside down.
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To hunt turtles, especially in the water.
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(video games) To build up a large defense force and strike only punctually, rather than going for an offensive strategy.
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(now rare, archaic) A turtle dove.
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To hunt for turtles, especially as an occupation.
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(chiefly british) A sea turtle.
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A turtledove.
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turn turtle
  • to turn upside down; capsize
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
turtle
Plural:
turtles

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Origin of turtle

  • Alteration (influenced by turtle) of Middle English tortu from Old French tortue ultimately (probably with influence from Old French tortu crooked) (and tordu twisted, from the shape of its legs) from Vulgar Latin tartarūca feminine of *tartarūcus of Tartarus (the turtle being a symbol of the forces of darkness in early Christian iconography) from Late Latin tartarūchus from Late Greek tartaroukhos occupying Tartarus Tartaros Tartarus ekhein to hold eunuch

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Old English from Latin turtur probably of imitative origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Modification of French tortue (probably under the influence of turtledove). See tortoise for more.

    From Wiktionary

  • Old English turtla, ultimately from Latin turtur (“turtledove"), of imitative origin.

    From Wiktionary

Turtle Sentence Examples

  • The Mosquito Indians come every summer to fish for turtle off the Atlantic coast.

  • The southernmost of the group, Turtle Island, was discovered by Cook in 1773.

  • On the coast turtle and mother-of-pearl fishing are carried on.

  • Turtle are common on the southern coast-line, sand and mangrove oysters are plentiful.

  • They live chiefly on turtle (which abounds in the island), fish and molluscs.

More sentences

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Also Mentioned In

Words near turtle in the Dictionary