carapace

noun car·a·pace \ ˈker-ə-ˌpās , ˈka-rə- \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

Definition of carapace

1 : a bony or chitinous case or shield covering the back or part of the back of an animal (such as a turtle or crab)

2 : a protective, decorative, or disguising shell

the carapace of reserve he built around himself
—M. M. Mintz

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Recent Examples of carapace from the Web

Their strange feeding style begins with a bite, and a tight grasp of the crab's main body, or carapace.

— douglas main, National Geographic, "This Snake Rips Its Prey Into Pieces, Instead of Swallowing it Whole," 6 Apr. 2018
Visitors find themselves in Gregor Samsa’s bedroom; looking down reveals a greyish carapace and six stick-like limbs.

— The Economist, "Is literature next in line for virtual-reality treatment?," 8 Mar. 2018
But those rows of blank windows and unvarying girders and columns, the unadorned stone carapaces and glass skins, take on their own sublimity.

— a.o. scott, New York Times, "Review: ‘Tall’ Is a Little Movie About How Buildings Got So Big," 17 Jan. 2018
In this world, the hoodie, a significant emblem of the Black Lives Matter movement, has been idiotically repurposed as a white man's carapace.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "Bruce Willis takes aim and misfires in an imbecilic 'Death Wish' remake," 2 Mar. 2018
The dress forms a pyramid, with the face atop, in a way that suggests a protective carapace, hiding from view the first lady's body and some of her femininity, which were targets of racist attack during her tenure in the East Wing.

— pelican bomb, NOLA.com, "Living on the edge: Artist captures disappearing coastline," 15 Feb. 2018
The second, is that the tortoise died near the pond from starvation or heat stroke in the arid environment and a nearby crocodile scavenged its rotting carapace.

— nicholas st. fleur, New York Times, "Ancient Crocodiles Once Feasted on Giant Tortoises on This Island," 23 Jan. 2018
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell emerged from his carapace and tried to adjourn the Senate.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Nobody Knows How to Play This Game Anymore," 19 Jan. 2018
Sorting the spiders with the aid of a powerful electron microscope, the researcher relied on such distinguishing markers as genital morphology and carapace shape to make her classifications.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "Madagascar’s Ancient ‘Pelican Spiders’ Are As Striking As They Are Strange," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carapace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of carapace

French, from Spanish carapacho

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1836

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument

CARAPACE Defined for English Language Learners

carapace

noun

Definition of carapace for English Language Learners

: a hard shell on the back of some animals (such as turtles or crabs)

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