Tortoise Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms tortoise American [tawr-tuhs] / ˈtɔr təs /

noun

1. a turtle, especially a terrestrial turtle.

2. a very slow person or thing.

3. testudo.

tortoise British / 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

"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

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of tortoise

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 )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For his part, Bezos has reveled in his measured approach, adopting tortoise as his company’s mascot.

From The Wall Street Journal

“One. I have a pet tortoise that waits at the door for me. Two…” He holds up two fingers.

From Literature

Two-legged robots have a tendency to fall over and “need human intervention to get back up,” like tortoises fallen on their backs.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From 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.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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