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Webster 1913 Edition

Tortoise

Tor′toise

,
Noun.
[OE.
tortuce
, fr. OF.
tortis
crooked, fr. L.
tortus
twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of
torquere
,
tortum
, to wind; cf. F.
tortue
tortoise, LL.
tortuca
,
tartuca
, Pr.
tortesa
crookedness,
tortis
crooked. so called in allusion to its crooked feet. See
Torture
.]
1.
(Zool.)
Any one of numerous species of reptiles of the order
Testudinata
.
☞ The term is applied especially to the land and fresh-water species, while the marine species are generally called turtles, but the terms tortoise and turtle are used synonymously by many writers. See
Testudinata
,
Terrapin
, and
Turtle
.
2.
(Rom. Antiq.)
Same as
Testudo
, 2.
Box tortoise
,
Land tortoise
, etc.
See under
Box
,
Land
, etc.
–
Painted tortoise
.
(Zool.)
See
Painted turtle
, under
Painted
.
–
Soft-shell tortoise
.
(Zool.)
See
Trionyx
.
–
Spotted tortoise
.
(Zool.)
A small American fresh-water tortoise (
Chelopus guttatus
or
Nanemys guttatus
) having a blackish carapace on which are scattered round yellow spots.
–
Tortoise beetle
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of small tortoise-shaped beetles. Many of them have a brilliant metallic luster. The larvae feed upon the leaves of various plants, and protect themselves beneath a mass of dried excrement held over the back by means of the caudal spines. The golden tortoise beetle (
Cassida aurichalcea
) is found on the morning-glory vine and allied plants.
–
Tortoise plant
.
(Bot.)
See
Elephant’s foot
, under
Elephant
.
–
Tortoise shell
,
the substance of the shell or horny plates of several species of sea turtles, especially of the hawkbill turtle. It is used in inlaying and in the manufacture of various ornamental articles.
–
Tortoise-shell butterfly
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of handsomely colored butterflies of the genus
Aglais
, as
Aglais Milberti
, and
Aglais urticae
, both of which, in the larva state, feed upon nettles.
–
Tortoise-shell turtle
(Zool.)
,
the hawkbill turtle. See
Hawkbill
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Tortoise

TORTOISE

,
Noun.
tor'tis.] from L. tortus, twisted.]
1.
An animal of the genus Testudo, covered with a shell or crust.
2.
In the military art, a defense used by the ancients, formed by the troops arranging themselves in close order and placing their bucklers over their heads, making a cover resembling a tortoise-shell.

Definition 2024

tortoise

tortoise

English

A tortoise

Noun

tortoise ‎(plural tortoises)

  1. Any of various land-dwelling reptiles, of family Testudinidae, whose body is enclosed in a shell (carapace plus plastron). The animal can withdraw its head and four legs partially into the shell, providing some protection from predators.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Anagrams

  • rootiest

Etymology

From Middle English tortuse, tortuce, tortuge, from Medieval Latin tortuca, of uncertain origin. May be from Late Latin tartarūcha, from Late Latin tartarūchus, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος ‎(tartaroûkhos, “holder of Tartaros, Tartarus, the land of the dead in ancient stories”), because it used to be thought that tortoises and turtles came from the underworld and they were commonly paired with such infernal beasts; or from Latin tortus ‎(“twisted”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtɔː(ɹ)təs/
  • Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)təs

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