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

Still, the system can occasionally trap the wrong animal, such as box turtles, which have a similar coloring to a tegu. — Laurie Mermet, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Eastern box turtles are native to New Jersey, and tend to prefer to live near woodlands and meadows, according to the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

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

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