terrapin

noun

ter·ra·pin | \ ˈter-ə-pən

How to pronounce terrapin (audio)

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Definition of terrapin

: any of various aquatic turtles (family Emydidae) especially : diamondback terrapin

Examples of terrapin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web An actual physical classroom, located in the Carriage House at Belmont Manor, is bright and cheery with posters of local birds and insects on the walls and two aquariums, one with a snake and the other with a terrapin. — Katie V. Jones, baltimoresun.com, "Howard County Conservancy’s new Nature Preschool takes the learning outdoors," 22 Apr. 2021 Technically, a red-eared slider is both a turtle and a terrapin. — René A. Guzman, ExpressNews.com, "Red-eared sliders: Texas turtles need to soak in the sun, so they’re not the best bet for indoor pets," 3 Nov. 2020 Sea-level rise due to climate change could also destroy terrapin nesting habitat. — National Geographic, "Diamondback terrapin," 26 Mar. 2020 The group initially released the terrapin in 2000 and hadn't seen the animal since, according to a post by the Wetlands Institute Facebook page this past Monday. — Fox News, "Rescued turtle back manages to return to the group that saved the animal nearly 2 decades ago," 22 July 2019 Aside from being Alabama’s state reptile and a sharp looking terrapin, the Alabama red-bellied turtle is just one of the multitude of species inhabiting the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. — Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, "Alabama’s state reptile threatened by roadways, but making slow comeback," 27 Oct. 2019 This fresh, naturalistic influence animates several bold objects here — a tureen roiling with waves and fish that recalls Hokusai, a fruit plate with flies crawling over flower petals, a craggy, glittering terrapin tureen in which to serve soup. — Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "With this glittering display of silver, a Providence rags-to-riches tale," 3 July 2019 Lethal Strike Turtles, tortoises, and terrapins have been on Earth for more than 200 million years, but some species are now among the most endangered animals on the planet. — Stefan Lovgren, National Geographic, "In Cambodia, giant turtles come back from the brink," 23 Apr. 2019 And there’s a terrapin that pays homage to the cook’s culinary prowess. — Mary Carole Mccauley, baltimoresun.com, "In its newly renovated property, Walters Art Museum honors a woman once enslaved there," 5 June 2018

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

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Dictionary Entries near terrapin

terra ponderosa

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Last Updated

25 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Terrapin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrapin. Accessed 8 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for terrapin

terrapin

noun

English Language Learners Definition of terrapin

: a kind of small turtle that lives in water

See the full definition for terrapin in the English Language Learners Dictionary

terrapin

noun

ter·ra·pin | \ ˈter-ə-pən

\

Kids Definition of terrapin

: a North American turtle that lives in or near fresh or somewhat salty water

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