¹turtle

noun tur·tle \ˈtər-t^əl\

Definition of TURTLE

archaic

: turtledove

Origin of TURTLE

Middle English, from Old English turtla, from Latin turtur

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with TURTLE

fertile, hurtle, kirtle, myrtle, spurtle

²turtle

noun, often attributive

plural turtles also turtle

Definition of TURTLE

: any of an order (Testudines syn. Chelonia) of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reptiles that have a toothless horny beak and a shell of bony dermal plates usually covered with horny shields enclosing the trunk and into which the head, limbs, and tail usually may be withdrawn

Origin of TURTLE

modification of French tortue, from Late Latin (bestia) tartarucha, feminine of tartaruchus of Tartarus, from Greek tartarouchos, from Tartaros Tartarus; from Mithraic and early Christian association of the turtle with infernal forces

First Known Use: 1612

Rhymes with TURTLE

hurtle

³turtle

noun

Definition of TURTLE

: turtleneck

First Known Use of TURTLE

1952

TURTLE Defined for Kids

turtle

noun tur·tle \ˈtər-t^əl\

Definition of TURTLE for Kids

: a reptile that lives on land, in water, or both and has a toothless horny beak and a shell of bony plates which covers the body and into which the head, legs, and tail can usually be drawn

Medical Dictionary

turtle

noun , tur·tle often attrib \ˈtərt-^əl\

plural turtles also turtle

Medical Definition of TURTLE

: any of an order (Testudines) of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reptiles that have a toothless horny beak and a shell of bony dermal plates usually covered with horny shields enclosing the trunk and into which the head, limbs, and tail usually may be withdrawn—called also chelonian