/ ˈtɜːtl; NAmE ˈtɜːrtl/ noun
1.
( NAmE also ˈsea turtle ) a large reptile with a hard round shell, that lives in the sea
2.
( NAmE , informal ) any reptile with a large shell, for example a tortoise or terrapin
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IDIOMS
- turn turtle
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: apparently an alteration of French tortue , from medieval Latin tortuca , of uncertain origin.