hawksbill turtle

[hawks-bil]

noun

1. a sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, the shell of which is the source of tortoise shell: an endangered species.

hawksbill turtle

/ ˈhɔːksˌbɪl /

noun

1. Also called: hawkbill.  tortoiseshell turtle. a small tropical turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, with a hooked beaklike mouth: a source of tortoiseshell: family Chelonidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of hawksbill turtle¹

First recorded in 1650–60; hawk ¹ + 's ¹ + bill ²