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 eastern box turtles, kept inside socks to keep them from making noise, were found last year in four packages at a U.S. mail facility in Torrance, which were addressed to Tin’s home, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said in a statement. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024

Small mammals eat the fruit, as do box turtles, important in dispersing the seeds. —Daryln Brewer Hoffstot Kristian Thacker, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024

Kang, through a nationwide network, smuggled five species of turtles, including the eastern box turtle, the Justice Department said. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024

The Sedgwick County Zoo – a wildlife park that is home to 3,000 individual animals of nearly 400 species — announced the birth of a McCord's box turtle on Friday. —Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 11 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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