terrapin

[ ter-uh-pin ]

See synonyms for terrapin on Thesaurus.com

noun

any of several edible North American turtles of the family Emydidae, inhabiting fresh or brackish waters, especially the diamondback terrapin: some are threatened or endangered.
any of various similar turtles.

Origin of terrapin

1605–15; earlier torope (<Virginia Algonquian <Eastern Algonquian *to·rəpe·w variety of turtle >Munsee Delaware tó·lpe·w) + -in, of uncertain origin

Words Nearby terrapin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use terrapin in a sentence

Once they are a little bigger, the terrapin caretakers plan on getting them into a CT scan to better understand their internal structure.
A rare two-headed turtle is alive and thriving, surprising scientists | Hannah Seo | October 14, 2021 | Popular-Science
The menswear crowd—who are obsessed with all things heritage, camo, and the F word—fell fast in love with terrapin.
Terrapin Stationers, the Most Badass New Stationer | Lauren Sherman | July 10, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Looking much like a high-land terrapin beneath the shelter of his venerable cotton umbrella, Judge Priest toiled up the hot slant.
Those Times And These | Irvin S. Cobb
Bingham bowed over his glass, and regretted that canvasback ducks and terrapin were not yet in season.
The Red City | S. Weir Mitchell
For a second, chop it up and either make a mock terrapin by a cook-book rule, or else cut it in dice, cream and bake it.
Living on a Little | Caroline French Benton

The deer ridiculed the terrapin, boasted of his own fleetness, and proposed that the twain should run a race.
Letters from the Alleghany Mountains | Charles Lanman
The appointed day arrived, and the deer, as well as the first mentioned terrapin, were faithfully on the ground.
Letters from the Alleghany Mountains | Charles Lanman

British Dictionary definitions for terrapin

terrapin

/ (ˈtɛrəpɪn) /

noun

any of various web-footed chelonian reptiles that live on land and in fresh water and feed on small aquatic animals: family Emydidae: Also called: water tortoise

Origin of terrapin

C17: of Algonquian origin; compare Delaware torope turtle

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

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