turtle

1
[ tur-tl ]
See synonyms for turtle on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural tur·tles, (especially collectively) tur·tle.
  1. any reptile of the order Testudines, comprising aquatic and terrestrial species having the trunk enclosed in a shell consisting of a dorsal carapace and a ventral plastron.

  2. (not used technically) an aquatic turtle as distinguished from a terrestrial one.: Compare tortoise (def. 1).

verb (used without object),tur·tled, tur·tling.
  1. to catch turtles, especially as a business.

Idioms about turtle

  1. turn turtle,

    • Nautical. to capsize or turn over completely in foundering.

    • to overturn; upset: Several of the cars turned turtle in the course of the race.

Origin of turtle

1
1625–35; alteration (influenced by turtle2) of French tortue<Medieval Latin tortūcatortoise

Other words from turtle

  • turtler, noun

Words Nearby turtle

Other definitions for turtle (2 of 2)

turtle2
[ tur-tl ]

nounArchaic.
  1. a turtledove.

Origin of turtle

2
before 1000; Middle English, Old English <Latin turtur (imitative)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use turtle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for turtle (1 of 2)

turtle1

/ (ˈtɜːtəl) /


noun
  1. any of various aquatic chelonian reptiles, esp those of the marine family Chelonidae, having a flattened shell enclosing the body and flipper-like limbs adapted for swimming: Related adjectives: chelonian, testudinal

  2. US and Canadian any of the chelonian reptiles, including the tortoises and terrapins

  1. nautical a zip bag made as part of a spinnaker for holding the sail so that it can be set rapidly

  2. turn turtle to capsize

verb
  1. (intr) to catch or hunt turtles

Origin of turtle

1
C17: from French tortue tortoise (influenced by turtle ²)

Derived forms of turtle

  • turtler, noun

British Dictionary definitions for turtle (2 of 2)

turtle2

/ (ˈtɜːtəl) /


noun
  1. an archaic name for turtledove

Origin of turtle

2
Old English turtla, from Latin turtur, of imitative origin; related to German Turteltaube

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with turtle

turtle

see turn turtle.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.