sea turtle

American  

noun

1. any of several large turtles of the families Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical seas, having the limbs modified into paddlelike flippers: all sea turtles are either threatened or endangered through most of their range because of ocean pollution.

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Etymology

Origin of sea turtle

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

The film cuts to a hummingbird sipping nectar from a flower on a cactus, a sea turtle floating over a coral reef, pink flamingos on a green lake, a snowflake, a butterfly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Meatloaf now swims in the aquarium’s sea turtle rehabilitation area, which opened in January.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

In total, more than 2,000 marine species have been recorded in the warm Gulf waters, including over 500 fish species and five types of sea turtles, among them the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

"For sea turtle hatchlings, reaching the ocean is already a race against time -- and survival. Now, increasingly large mats of sargassum are adding new challenges to this critical journey," said Milton.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

I re­member one green sea turtle that hung from the side of the lifeboat for two days, the whole while thrashing about madly, free flippers beating in the air.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel