noun1. any herbivorous terrestrial chelonian reptile of the family Testudinidae, of most warm regions, having a heavy dome-shaped shell and clawed limbs
▶ Related adjectives:
chelonian, testudinal 2. water tortoise
4. another word for testudo, See also giant tortoise
Word origin
C15: probably from Old French
tortue (influenced by Latin
tortus twisted), from Medieval Latin
tortūca, from Late Latin
tartarūcha coming from Tartarus, from Greek
tartaroukhos; referring to the belief that the tortoise originated in the underworld