This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
chelonian
[ ki-loh-nee-uhn ]
/ kɪˈloʊ ni ən /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
Definition of chelonian
adjective
belonging or pertaining to the reptilian order Testudines (formerly Chelonia), comprising turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.
noun
a turtle, tortoise, or terrapin.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON OPPOSITES OF RED BEFORE YOU TURN SCARLET
We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red?
Question 1 of 7
Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR?
Compare testudinate.
Origin of chelonian
First recorded in 1820–30; from New Latin Chelōni(a) (from Greek chelṓn(ē) “turtle” + Latin -ia, neuter plural noun suffix) + -an
Words nearby chelonian
chellup, Chełmno, Chelmsford, cheloid, chelone, chelonian, chelp, Chelsea, Chelsea bun, Chelsea tractor, Cheltenham
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use chelonian in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for chelonian
chelonian
/ (kɪˈləʊnɪən) /
noun
any reptile of the order Chelonia, including the tortoises and turtles, in which most of the body is enclosed in a protective bony capsule
adjective
of, relating to, belonging to, or characteristic of the Chelonia
Word Origin for chelonian
C19: from New Latin Chelōnia, from Greek khelōnē tortoise
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for chelonian
chelonian
[ kĭ-lō′nē-ən ]
Any of various reptiles of the order Chelonia (or Testudines), which includes the turtles and tortoises. Chelonians lack teeth and usually have a hard shell that protects the body and consists of bony plates fused to the vertebrae and ribs. Unlike all other living reptiles, the skulls of chelonians lack temporal openings, which is characteristic of the earliest known reptiles (called anapsids). Chelonians evolved during the late Permian or Triassic Period and have changed little since.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.