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leatherback
noun
leath·er·back
ˈle-t͟hər-ˌbak 
: the largest existing sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) distinguished by its flexible carapace composed of a mosaic of small bones embedded in a thick leathery skin
Examples of leatherback in a Sentence
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From February to September, guests may even catch a glimpse of giant leatherback turtles that lay their eggs on the resort’s golden shores.
—
Amber Kallor, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet in length and weighed 2,019 pounds, the National Park Service reports.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 8 Dec. 2025
Stephanie’s work has taken her around the world; from camping on the Greenland Ice Sheet during a snowstorm and aurora hunting from the remote northern shores of Isle Royale National Park to monitoring nesting leatherback turtles alongside Indigenous conservationists on Panama’s Caribbean coast.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 6 Oct. 2025
But Florida is a nesting destination for endangered or threatened sea turtles, including loggerheads, green turtles, leatherbacks and Kemp’s Ridley turtles, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
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Amber Kallor, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet in length and weighed 2,019 pounds, the National Park Service reports.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 8 Dec. 2025
Stephanie’s work has taken her around the world; from camping on the Greenland Ice Sheet during a snowstorm and aurora hunting from the remote northern shores of Isle Royale National Park to monitoring nesting leatherback turtles alongside Indigenous conservationists on Panama’s Caribbean coast.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 6 Oct. 2025
But Florida is a nesting destination for endangered or threatened sea turtles, including loggerheads, green turtles, leatherbacks and Kemp’s Ridley turtles, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leatherback
Cite this Entry
“Leatherback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leatherback. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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leatherback
noun
leath·er·back
ˈlet͟h-ər-ˌbak
: the largest existing sea turtle with a shell composed of small bones embedded in a thick leathery skin
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