snapping turtle

noun

: either of two large American freshwater turtles (family Chelydridae) with a large head, powerful jaws, a long tail, and a strong musky odor:

a

: one (Chelydra serpentina) that has the head covered with smooth skin, has large plates in a double row on the underside of the tail, and is distributed from eastern Canada to Central America

b

: alligator snapping turtle

Illustration of snapping turtle

• snapping turtle a

Examples of snapping turtle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From a problem with snapping turtles to Boise State’s official Pac-12 arrival, Idaho saw a busy stretch of news this week. — Chadd Cripe. Produced With Ai Assistance, Idaho Statesman, 7 July 2026

Wildebeest, elk, lions, pronghorns, snapping turtles, baboons, wolves, and warthogs wait, oozing, for their turn in the lineup. — Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

Her book also tells the story of a southern Florida childhood – of homemade bike ramps and treehouses, ponds with snapping turtles and a goat named Cordelius. — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026

On our first trip, the groundskeepers at the family-friendly Caribe Hilton kindly looked the other way when my neurodivergent child climbed over a barricade to get a closer look at a snapping turtle. — Melissa Petro, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for snapping turtle

• infertile
• fertile
• hurtle
• kirtle
• myrtle

Kids Definition

snapping turtle

noun

: either of two large American freshwater turtles that have a large head, powerful jaws, and a long tail