leatherback turtle

[ leth-er-bak ]

noun

1. a sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, having the shell embedded in a leathery skin, reaching a length of more than 7 feet (2.1 meters) and a weight of more than 1000 pounds (450 kilograms): the largest living sea turtle; an endangered species.

Word History and Origins

Origin of leatherback turtle¹

First recorded in 1875–80; leather + back ¹