tortoise

[tawr-tuhs]

noun

1. a turtle, especially a terrestrial turtle.

2. a very slow person or thing.

3. testudo.

tortoise

/ ˈtɔːtəs /

noun

1. any herbivorous terrestrial chelonian reptile of the family Testudinidae, of most warm regions, having a heavy dome-shaped shell and clawed limbs

2. another name for terrapin

3. a slow-moving person

4. another word for testudo See also giant tortoise

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortoise¹

1350–1400; variant of earlier (15th-century) tortuse, tortose, tortuce, Middle English tortuca < Medieval Latin tortūca, for Late Latin tartarūcha (feminine adj.) of Tartarus (< Greek tartaroûcha ), the tortoise being regarded as an infernal animal; Medieval Latin form influenced by Latin tortus crooked, twisted ( tort )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortoise¹

C15: probably from Old French tortue (influenced by Latin tortus twisted), from Medieval Latin tortūca, from Late Latin tartarūcha coming from Tartarus, from Greek tartaroukhos; referring to the belief that the tortoise originated in the underworld

Example Sentences

As Apple plays the tortoise role—slow and steady wins the race—the sprint between the two hares is what’s captivating investors.

Read more on Barron's

Gramma, a Galápagos tortoise whose life at the San Diego Zoo spanned more than 20 presidents, two world wars and two pandemics, has died.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But even with the government reopened, he said operations remain hobbled by staff losses that disproportionately affect conservation and restoration, including saving Joshua trees and desert tortoises.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Spanish police announced on Saturday they had raided a unlicensed animal sanctuary and rescued hundreds of exotic creatures including leopard tortoises, iguanas and geckos.

Read more on Barron's

But over a lifetime, as I’ve written before, investing as if there is no alternative to stocks will demand that you have the patience of a tortoise and the emotions of a stone.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When To Use

What’s the difference between a tortoise and a turtle?

The words tortoise and turtle are sometimes used interchangeably, and turtle is the more general term. The word tortoise is sometimes used to distinguish a turtle as being a terrestrial (mostly land-dwelling) one, as opposed to an aquatic turtle (one that spends most of its time in water).However, this doesn’t mean that a turtle is necessarily aquatic simply because it’s called a turtle. For example, the box turtle is primarily terrestrial (it can also be called the box tortoise).Turtles and tortoises are both reptiles that belong to the order Testudines. Whether something is called a tortoise or a turtle often depends on its habitat and physical features.Some aquatic turtles, like snapping turtles, have webbed feet, while others, like sea turtles, have flippers. In contrast, turtles that are called tortoises typically have stubby, round feet, and their shells are often more domed.Here are a few quick questions to help you determine whether it’s more appropriate to call something a tortoise or a turtle.Q: Does it spend a lot of time in the water and have webbed feet or flippers?A: It’s probably called a turtle.Q: Does it live mostly on land and have a domed shell and round feet?A: There’s a good chance it’s called a tortoise, but this isn’t always the case.Q: Is it a teenaged, mutant ninja?A: It’s a turtle.Still stumped? Ask a herpetologist.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between tortoises and turtles.