sea turtle

noun

: any of two families (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) of widely distributed marine turtles that have the feet modified into paddles and that include the green turtle, leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead, and ridley

Examples of sea turtle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The World Wildlife Fund reports that of the seven species of sea turtles across the world, three are endangered - including two that are listed as critically endangered. Alana Wise, NPR, 6 June 2025 Turtles in our waters The Pacific leatherback sea turtle became the state marine reptile in 2012. Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 6 June 2025 Tags to support sea turtles, the University of Florida, the Miami Heat and Florida State University round out the the top 5. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2025 Lohmann researches animal ocean migrants, like sea turtles and salmon, and authored a viewpoint article published alongside the new study. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sea turtle

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sea turtle was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sea turtle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20turtle. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sea turtle

noun
: any of various large marine turtles (as the green turtle or the loggerhead) that have paddle-shaped feet to aid in swimming

More from Merriam-Webster on sea turtle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!