Related Searches
on Ask.com
turtle - 11 dictionary results
tur⋅tle
1
[tur-tl] 
noun, plural -tles, (especially collectively
) -tle, verb, -tled, -tling.–noun
| 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)
—Idiom| 3. | to catch turtles, esp. as a business. |
| 4. | turn turtle,
|
tur⋅tle
2 [tur-tl] –noun Archaic.
| a turtledove. |
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME, OE < L turtur (imit.)
bef. 1000; ME, OE < L turtur (imit.)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
|
Link To turtle
| tur·tle 1 (tûr'tl) n.
[Perhaps from French tortue, from Old French, from Medieval Latin *tortūca, perhaps alteration (influenced by Latin tortus, twisted, from the shape of its legs) of Vulgar Latin *tartarūca, feminine of *tartarūcus, of Tartarus, from Late Latin tartarūchus, from Late Greek tartaroukhos, occupying Tartarus : Tartaros, Tartarus + ekhein, to hold; see eunuch.] tur'tler n. |
| tur·tle 2 (tûr'tl) n. Archaic A turtledove. [Middle English, from Old English, from Latin turtur, probably of imitative origin.] |
| tur·tle 3 (tûr'tl) n. A turtleneck. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Turtle
Tur"tle\, n. [AS. turtle, L. turtur; probably of imitative origin. Cf. Turtle the sea tortoise.] (Zo["o]l.) The turtledove.Turtle
Tur"tle\, n. [Probably the same word as the word preceding, and substituted (probably by sailors) for the Spanish or Portuguese name; cf. Sp. tortuga tortoise, turtle, Pg. tartaruga, also F. tortue, and E. tortoise.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of the numerous species of Testudinata, especially a sea turtle, or chelonian. Note: In the United States the land and fresh-water tortoises are also called turtles. 2. (Printing) The curved plate in which the form is held in a type-revolving cylinder press. Alligator turtle, Box turtle, etc. See under Alligator, Box, etc. green turtle (Zo["o]l.), a marine turtle of the genus Chelonia, having usually a smooth greenish or olive-colored shell. It is highly valued for the delicacy of its flesh, which is used especially for turtle soup. Two distinct species or varieties are known; one of which (Chelonia Midas) inhabits the warm part of the Atlantic Ocean, and sometimes weighs eight hundred pounds or more; the other (C. virgata) inhabits the Pacific Ocean. Both species are similar in habits and feed principally on seaweed and other marine plants, especially the turtle grass. Turtle cowrie (Zo["o]l.), a large, handsome cowrie (Cypr[ae]a testudinaria); the turtle-shell; so called because of its fancied resemblance to a tortoise in color and form. Turtle grass (Bot.), a marine plant (Thalassia testudinum) with grasslike leaves, common about the West Indies. Turtle shell, tortoise shell. See under Tortoise.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : turtle
Spanish:
tortuga marina,
German:
die Seeschildkröte,
Japanese:
海がめ
turtle (1)
reptile, 1609, "marine tortoise," from Fr. tortue "turtle, tortoise," of unknown origin. The Eng. word is perhaps a sailors' mauling of the French one, infl. by the similar sounding turtle (2). Later extended to land tortoises. Turtleneck "close-fitting collar" is recorded from 1895.
turtle (2)
"turtledove," O.E. turtle, dissimilation of L. turtur "turtledove," a reduplicated form imitative of the bird's call. Graceful, harmonious and affectionate to its mate, hence a term of endearment in M.E. Turtledove is attested from c.1300.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Main Entry: tur·tle
Pronunciation: 't&rt-&l
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural turtles also turtle
often attributive : any of an order (Testudines) of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reptiles that have a toothless horny beak and a shell of bony dermal plates usually covered withhorny shields enclosing the trunk and into which the head, limbs, and tail usually may be withdrawn called also chelonian
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
turtle
see turn turtle.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
