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
Recent Examples on the Web
Back on land, two resident Aldabra tortoises, Jack and Rose, steal the hearts of resort guests.
—
Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025
There's also the Flamingo Mingle (but this experience is currently closed due to bird flu), as well behind-the-scenes experiences with hippos, Aldabra tortoises, and parrots.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 19 Apr. 2025
The chimpanzee population in Gabon is already unique compared to other groups due to their behavior of cracking open tortoises to eat the meat inside the shell, as well as putting insects on their wounds and the wounds of their group, Deschner said.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2025
Generally, there are about 17,000 Galapagos tortoises left, according to the London Zoo.
More about Galapagos tortoises
Galapagos tortoises are herbivores native to the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortoise
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Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025
There's also the Flamingo Mingle (but this experience is currently closed due to bird flu), as well behind-the-scenes experiences with hippos, Aldabra tortoises, and parrots.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 19 Apr. 2025
The chimpanzee population in Gabon is already unique compared to other groups due to their behavior of cracking open tortoises to eat the meat inside the shell, as well as putting insects on their wounds and the wounds of their group, Deschner said.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2025
Generally, there are about 17,000 Galapagos tortoises left, according to the London Zoo.
More about Galapagos tortoises
Galapagos tortoises are herbivores native to the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 9 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 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tortoise
noun
tor·toise
ˈtȯrt-əs 
: turtle entry 2
especially
: a land-dwelling turtle
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