box turtle

noun

1

: any of several North American land turtles (genus Terrapene) capable of withdrawing into their shell and closing it by hinged joints in the lower half

called also box tortoise

2

: any of several chiefly semiaquatic, Asian turtles (genera Cuora and Pyxidea of the family Geoemydidae) that have a carapace with a median keel and are capable of withdrawing into their shell and closing it by hinged joints in the plastron

Note: The Asian box turtles are not closely related to the North American box turtles.

Illustration of box turtle

Examples of box turtle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The smuggled animals, which were imported from both Hong Kong and Mexico without permits, included Mexican beaded lizards, Mexican box turtles and Yucatan box turtles and baby crocodiles, prosecutors said. —Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 31 May 2026

The animals smuggled from Mexico, including Yucatán box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles, and Mexican beaded lizards, were picked up from an international airport in Ciudad Juarez, a border town that sits on the edge of west Texas. —Drew Pittock, USA Today, 30 May 2026

People working with Perez would collect the reptiles including Mexican box turtles and Mexican beaded lizards, at from an airport in Ciudad Juárez, then move them by car over the border to El Paso. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

There was also an ornate box turtle named Walter who might live to 40 years of age. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for box turtle

• fertile
• hurtle
• kirtle
• myrtle
• infertile

Kids Definition

box turtle

noun

: any of several North American land turtles able to withdraw completely into the shell and to close it by hinged joints in the lower shell