ridley

noun

rid·​ley ˈrid-lē How to pronounce ridley (audio)
: either of two sea turtles (genus Lepidochelys of the family Cheloniidae):

Examples of ridley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Kemp’s ridley is still the world’s most vulnerable sea turtle. Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 According to Cook, while there has been an increase in the number of certain sea turtle species’ numbers, such as greens, loggerheads and Kemp’s ridleys, species such as Pacific leatherbacks are seeing a dramatic decline in numbers. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 7 July 2023 The green, leatherback, hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley are listed as endangered and the loggerhead is listed as threatened. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 Kemp’s ridley turtles have started washing up dead on Great Britain’s frigid shores, more than 4,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, where they’re supposed to be. oregonlive, 27 Dec. 2021 See All Example Sentences for ridley

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridley was in 1926

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Cite this Entry

“Ridley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridley. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Biographical Definition

Ridley

biographical name

Rid·​ley ˈrid-lē How to pronounce Ridley (audio)
Nicholas circa 1503–1555 English reformer and martyr

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