noun
tortoise
TOR-tus/ˈtɔːrtəs/
A land-dwelling turtle with a high, domed shell.
The tortoise moves slowly across the grass beneath its domed shell.
Etymology
Latin tortuca supplies an old name for this shelled reptile, but its deeper origin is uncertain. The word probably originally referred to a southern European land tortoise.
In context
Due to their heavy shells, turtles are slow moving on land. A desert tortoise moves at only 0.22 to 0.48 km per hour
More examples
- Several tortoises bask in the morning sun.
- She feeds her tortoise fresh leafy greens.
- The startled tortoise pulls its head inside its shell.
Forms
tortoise · tortoises
Similar words
- turtle
- A broader term covering both land-dwelling and water-dwelling shelled reptiles.