n.
Pronunciation: ' ker- ə - ˌ p ā s, ' ka-r ə -
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Spanish carapacho
Date: 1836
1 : a bony or chitinous case or shield covering the back or part of the back of an animal (as a turtle or crab)
2 : a protective, decorative, or disguising shell <the carapace of reserve he built around himself ― M. M. Mintz>