English

A small tortoiseshell butterfly, Nymphalis urticae.

Noun

tortoiseshell ‎(usually uncountable, plural tortoiseshells)

1. The horny, translucent, mottled covering of the carapace of the hawksbill turtle, used as a veneer etc.
2. The hawksbill turtle.
3. A domestic cat whose fur has black, brown and yellow markings.
4. Any of several butterflies, mostly of the genus Nymphalis that have similar markings.

Synonyms

• (cat): tortie (colloquial)

Translations

Adjective

tortoiseshell ‎(not comparable)

1. Made of the covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.
2. Having markings resembling covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.

Translations

Derived terms

• tortoiseshell cat