tortoise

[ tawr-tuhs ]

noun

1. a turtle, especially a terrestrial turtle.
2. a very slow person or thing.
3. testudo ( def 1 ).

tortoise

/ 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 cheloniantestudinal
2. water tortoise
   another name for terrapin
3. a slow-moving person
4. another word for testudo See also giant tortoise

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortoise¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortoise¹

C15: probably from Old French tortue (influenced by Latin tortus twisted), from Medieval Latin tortūca, from Late Latin tartarūcha coming from Tartarus, from Greek tartaroukhos; referring to the belief that the tortoise originated in the underworld

Example Sentences

Kirat's shocking story was a hit for podcast maker Tortoise in 2021.

From BBC

A tortoise has lived to see another day after it arrived in a waste lorry and went through an entire sorting process at a recycling centre.

From BBC

Mr Frost said the tortoise initially had "blood all over it" and described finding Pee-wee as "quite scary".

From BBC

Mr and Mrs Frost told the BBC they are going to wait to see if the owner comes forward and, if not, they will be welcoming Pee-wee the tortoise into their own family.

From BBC

Mr Frost took the tortoise to Kirk Vets in Sleaford, where he was affectionally named Pee-wee by staff after the 1980s film character, Pee-Wee Herman.

From BBC