loggerhead

noun log·ger·head \ ˈlȯ-gər-ˌhed , ˈlä- \

Definition of loggerhead

1 chiefly dialectal

a : blockhead

b : head; especially : a disproportionately large head

2 a : a very large chiefly carnivorous sea turtle (Caretta caretta) of subtropical and temperate waters

b : alligator snapping turtle

3 : an iron tool consisting of a long handle terminating in a ball or bulb that is heated and used to melt tar or to heat liquids

— at loggerheads

: in or into a state of quarrelsome disagreement

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Examples of loggerhead in a Sentence

that loggerhead couldn't find the business end of a cow even if his life depended on it

Recent Examples of loggerhead from the Web

The new, upgrade tanks nearly double the hospital's previous patient capacity, and can accommodate larger turtles, including adult loggerheads that are known to reach sizes of more than 300 pounds.

— jennifer nalewicki, Smithsonian, "A New State-of-the-Art Sea Turtle Hospital Opens to Patients and Visitors," 30 May 2017
Nearly all turtles nesting on North Carolina beaches are loggerheads, which can reach 3 feet in length and weigh 250 pounds.

— bruce henderson, charlotteobserver, "Sea turtles get help as NC beach recovers from hurricane damage," 27 Oct. 2017
On some stretches of beach, what look like inverted-V truck tire marks are actually tracks left by nesting loggerhead sea turtles.

— john bordsen, USA TODAY, "Wild islands in the Carolinas," 12 Oct. 2017
The northwest Atlantic region is one of the world’s two largest loggerhead nesting areas, and 89 percent of those animals are hatched in Florida, Dr. Ceriani said, citing a 2015 assessment.

— karen weintraub, New York Times, "Many of Florida’s Sea Turtle Nests Were Destroyed by Hurricane Irma," 6 Oct. 2017
Even as the lawyers on the case are at loggerheads on strategy, some staffers have already left or been pushed out, and this is only the latest puzzling incident for Cobb.

— david a. graham, The Atlantic, "Why Is Trump's Legal Team So Messy?," 18 Sep. 2017
The tech and auto industries have been at loggerheads for years.

— tim higgins, WSJ, "Google Plots to Conquer Self-Driving Cars—by Making Peace With Detroit," 11 Sep. 2017
Despite reports that the two countries are at loggerheads in their negotiations over NAFTA, Trudeau emphasized the importance of unity.

— alan murray, Fortune, "Trudeau, Trump and Trade — CEO Daily, Wednesday, 11th October," 11 Oct. 2017
The fresh push comes at a fractured moment in American politics, where virtually nothing passes Congress and both political parties remain at loggerheads.

— Alaska Dispatch News, "Some in GOP open to discussing Democrats’ proposal to ban device used in Las Vegas attack," 5 Oct. 2017

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

Illustration of loggerhead

Origin and Etymology of loggerhead

probably from English dialect logger block of wood + English head

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First Known Use: 1588

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LOGGERHEAD Defined for Kids

loggerhead

noun log·ger·head \ ˈlȯ-gər-ˌhed , ˈlä- \

Definition of loggerhead for Students

: a very large sea turtle found in the warmer parts of the Atlantic Ocean

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See words that rhyme with loggerhead Spanish Central: Translation of loggerhead Nglish: Translation of loggerhead for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loggerhead

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loggerhead

Definition of loggerhead

Examples of loggerhead in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of loggerhead

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loggerhead

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loggerhead

Definition of loggerhead

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Origin and Etymology of loggerhead

LOGGERHEAD Defined for Kids

loggerhead

Definition of loggerhead for Students

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