snapping turtle

noun

1. either of two large, edible, freshwater turtles of the family Chelydridae, of North and Central America, having a large head and powerful hooked jaws, especially the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina.

snapping turtle

noun

1. any large aggressive North American river turtle of the family Chelydridae, esp Chelydra serpentina ( common snapping turtle ), having powerful hooked jaws and a rough shell Also calledsnapper

Word History and Origins

Origin of snapping turtle¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

The hooks on the end of final strokes indicate a tenacious mind that holds on to ideas and opinions as tight as a snapping turtle.

From The Daily Beast

H-tchoo-tc-knee, the Snapping Turtle; half-bred and well-educated man.

From Project Gutenberg

I never saw anything funnier than those steers and a huge snapping turtle.

From Project Gutenberg

Just ahead of us, under a blackberry bush, was a huge snapping-turtle.

From Project Gutenberg

Gilliam shone at cross-examination; he went at Tandy savagely, taking hold like a snapping turtle and hanging on like one.

From Project Gutenberg

Cope says that the Cretaceous of New Jersey alone affords twenty species, one of them a snapping turtle six feet in length.

From Project Gutenberg