ridley

¹ American  

[rid-lee] / ˈrɪd li /

noun

plural

ridleys

1. Also called bastard turtle.  Also called bastard ridley,.  Also called Atlantic ridley,.  a gray sea turtle, Lepidochelys kempii, of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America, about 24 inches (61 centimeters) long, previously thought to be a hybrid of the loggerhead and green turtles: an endangered species.

2. Also called Pacific ridley.  Also called olive ridley,.  an olive-colored sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, similar to L. kempii, inhabiting tropical waters of the Indian, Pacific, and South Atlantic Oceans: threatened or endangered throughout its range.

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Ridley ² American  

[rid-lee] / ˈrɪd li /

noun

1. Nicholas, c1500–55, English bishop, reformer, and martyr.

2. a town in SE Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.

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Ridley British  

/ ˈrɪdlɪ /

noun

1. Nicholas . ?1500–55, English bishop, who helped to revise the liturgy under Edward VI. He was burnt at the stake for refusing to disavow his Protestant beliefs when Mary I assumed the throne

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Etymology

Origin of ridley

First recorded in 1895–1900; of undetermined origin

Example Sentences

Kemp's ridley sea turtles rank among the most endangered sea turtle species on the planet.

From Science Daily • Feb. 5, 2026

Rhossi is the second Kemp's ridley sea turtle Anglesey Sea Zoo has rescued, successfully repatriating one called Tally to Texas before it was released back into the wild in 2023.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

While collecting data on olive ridley sea turtles, she and her colleagues would routinely lift the creatures up onto their boat for examination.

From National Geographic • Dec. 12, 2023

Both Kemp’s ridley turtles and green sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act and listed as endangered.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2023

Kemp's ridley, with a triangular-shaped head and a slightly hooked beak, is primarily found in the Gulf of Mexico.

From Reuters • Sep. 28, 2023