testudo

tes·tu·do

T0128300 (tĕ-sto͞o′dō, -styo͞o′-)n. pl. tes·tu·dos 1. A Roman siege device consisting of a movable screen protecting the besiegers' approach to a wall.2. A cover formed by the overlapping shields of besiegers and held over their heads.

---

[Latin testūdō, tortoise, tortoise shell, testudo, from testa, shell, earthenware vessel, of unknown origin.]

testudo

(tɛˈstjuːdəʊ) n, pl -dines (-dɪˌniːz) (Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a form of shelter used by the ancient Roman Army for protection against attack from above, consisting either of a mobile arched structure or of overlapping shields held by the soldiers over their heads[C17: from Latin: a tortoise, from testa a shell]

tes•tu•do

(tɛˈstu doʊ, -ˈstyu-)

n., pl. tes•tu•di•nes (tɛˈstud nˌiz, -ˈstyud-) (among the ancient Romans) a screen of interlocked shields held overhead by a column of troops. [1600–10; < Latin testūdō tortoise, testudo; akin to test²]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	testudo - a movable protective covering that provided protection from above; used by Roman troops when approaching the walls of a besieged fortificationprotective cover, protective covering, protection - a covering that is intend to protect from damage or injury; "they had no protection from the fallout"; "wax provided protection for the floors"
	2.	Testudo - type genus of the Testudinidaegenus Testudoreptile genus - a genus of reptilesfamily Testudinidae, Testudinidae - land tortoisesEuropean tortoise, Testudo graeca - small land tortoise of southern Europegiant tortoise - very large tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelles islands

Translations

testudo