1
: any of a family (Testudinidae) of terrestrial turtles
broadly
: turtle
2
: someone or something regarded as slow or laggard
Examples of tortoise in a Sentence
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This debut design offers a modern take on a classic, retro-inspired shape, made from 100% acetate in a deep tortoise color.
—
Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Situated in the San Luis Valley, the farm is home to roughly 300 alligators, as well as snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises, per CBS News Colorado’s Logan Smith.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
Myrtle, a midsize pet tortoise, survived a deadly tornado and went missing last month.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2025
Mommy, a 100-year-old Galápagos tortoise at the Philadelphia Zoo, recently became a first-time mother to four hatchlings.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortoise
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Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Situated in the San Luis Valley, the farm is home to roughly 300 alligators, as well as snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises, per CBS News Colorado’s Logan Smith.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
Myrtle, a midsize pet tortoise, survived a deadly tornado and went missing last month.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2025
Mommy, a 100-year-old Galápagos tortoise at the Philadelphia Zoo, recently became a first-time mother to four hatchlings.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortoise
Cite this Entry
“Tortoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tortoise. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tortoise
noun
tor·toise
ˈtȯrt-əs 
: turtle entry 2
especially
: a land-dwelling turtle
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