turtle
TURTL
Turtle (noun) means a reptile with a hard protective shell that lives on land, in fresh water, or in the sea. Example: “Our pet turtle likes to bask on a flat rock under the lamp.”
noun
1
A reptile with a hard protective shell that lives on land, in fresh water, or in the sea.
"Our pet turtle likes to bask on a flat rock under the lamp."
"A sea turtle swam gracefully past the reef."
"The children watched the turtle pull its head into its shell."
verb
1
To flip over onto one's back, especially of a boat capsizing.
"A big wave hit the kayak, and it turtled before we could react."
"If the yacht turtles, the crew must climb onto the hull."
"The dinghy turtled in the rough waves."
2
In gaming, to play very defensively, building up defences rather than attacking.
"If you turtle for too long in this game, stronger players will eventually crush you."
"My friend likes to turtle early on and build up his base first."
"He just turtled behind his walls the whole match instead of attacking."
How to use turtle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA shelled reptile that lives on land or in water; also used for flipping upside down or playing very defensively.
Common mistake
In British English "turtle" usually means a sea-dwelling species, while "tortoise" is the land-dwelling kind — Americans use "turtle" more broadly for both.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sea turtle
turtle shell
turtle over
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Word forms
- Plural
- turtles
- Third person singular
- turtles
- Past tense
- turtled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our pet _____ likes to bask on a flat rock under the lamp.
Etymology
From Old French tortüe, likely reshaped under the influence of Middle English words for the turtledove, ultimately going back to the same source as "tortoise".
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “turtle” mean?
The word “turtle” means a reptile with a hard protective shell that lives on land, in fresh water, or in the sea. In plain terms, a shelled reptile that lives on land or in water; also used for flipping upside down or playing very defensively.
How do you pronounce “turtle”?
“Turtle” is pronounced TURTL (/ˈtɝtl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “turtle” in a sentence?
Here is “turtle” used in a sentence: “A sea turtle swam gracefully past the reef.”
What is another word for “turtle”?
Words with a similar meaning to “turtle” include birdling, chelid, chelonian, shield-toad, shellpad and terrapin.
What part of speech is “turtle”?
Depending on how it is used, “turtle” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “turtle” come from?
The word “turtle” comes from Old French. From Old French tortüe, likely reshaped under the influence of Middle English words for the turtledove, ultimately going back to the same source as "tortoise".
Is “turtle” a common word?
“Turtle” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “turtle” have?
“Turtle” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a reptile with a hard protective shell that lives on land, in fresh water, or in the sea.
What is the difference between a "turtle" and a "tortoise"?
A tortoise is a turtle that lives entirely on land, while "turtle" as a broad term covers shelled reptiles living on land, in fresh water, or in the sea. In British English "turtle" usually means the water-dwelling kinds, whereas American English often uses "turtle" for all of them.
What is the difference between a "turtle" and a "terrapin"?
A terrapin is a small turtle that lives in fresh or brackish water. "Turtle" is the wider term, and terrapin is used, especially in British English, for certain smaller water-dwelling species.
