First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1turtle
noun tur·tle \ˈtər-təl\
Definition of TURTLE
archaicADVERTISEMENT
Origin of TURTLE
Middle English, from Old English turtla, from Latin turtur
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plates usually covered with horny shields enclosing the trunk and into which the head, limbs, and tail usually may be withdrawn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
3turtle
noun
TURTLE[1] Defined for Kids
turtle
noun tur·tle \ˈtər-təl\
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plates usually covered with horny shields enclosing the trunk and into which the head, limbs, and tail usually may be withdrawn—called also chelonian
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