tortoise

noun

tor·​toise ˈtȯr-təs How to pronounce tortoise (audio)
1
: any of a family (Testudinidae) of terrestrial turtles
broadly : turtle
2
: someone or something regarded as slow or laggard

Examples of tortoise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The range includes solid and tortoise frames in glossy black, dark green, brown and taupe, and lenses are available in clear, green or blue tints and 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3+ magnification. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024 The 360-acre preserve adjacent to the LEC and Deltona Regional Library is home to a variety of wildlife, including Florida scrub jays and gopher tortoises, which are drawn to the low vegetation and sandy ridges of the scrub habitat. Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2024 Kennedy wanted to be a veterinarian, and the house and grounds were filled with creatures—horses, ducks, dogs, a seal, a giant leopard tortoise. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024 The collection features an assortment of tinted and progressive readers in a variety of classic neutral shades designed in transparent cinnamon, smokey taupe, shiny forest green as well as black and classic tortoise. Anna Tingley, Variety, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for tortoise 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tortoise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tortu, tortuse, from Anglo-French tortue — more at turtle

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tortoise was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tortoise

Cite this Entry

“Tortoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tortoise. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

tortoise

noun
tor·​toise ˈtȯrt-əs How to pronounce tortoise (audio)
: turtle entry 2
especially : a land-dwelling turtle

More from Merriam-Webster on tortoise

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