- box turtle
- noun Date: circa 1804 any of several North American land turtles (genus Terrapene) capable of withdrawing into their shell and closing it by hinged joints in the lower half — called also box tortoise
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
box turtle
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Box turtle — Turtle Tur tle, n. [Probably the same word as the word preceding, and substituted (probably by sailors) for the Spanish or Portuguese name; cf. Sp. tortuga tortoise, turtle, Pg. tartaruga, also F. tortue, and E. tortoise.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Zo[… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Box turtle — Box Box, n.; pl. {Boxes} [As. box a small case or vessel with a cover; akin to OHG. buhsa box, G. b[ u]chse; fr. L. buxus boxwood, anything made of boxwood. See {Pyx}, and cf. {Box} a tree, {Bushel}.] 1. A receptacle or case of any firm material… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
box turtle — ☆ box turtle or box tortoise n. any of several North American terrapins (genus Terrapene) with a hinged shell that can be completely closed: usually found on land … English World dictionary
Box turtle — Taxobox name = Box Turtle image width = 250px image caption = Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Reptilia ordo = Testudines familia = Emydidae subdivision ranks = Genera subdivision = Cuora… … Wikipedia
box turtle — any of several chiefly terrestrial turtles of the genus Terrapene, of North America, having a hinged plastron that can be tightly shut to enclose and protect the body. Also called box tortoise. See illus. under turtle. [1795 1805, Amer.] * * *… … Universalium
box turtle — noun chiefly terrestrial turtle of North America; shell can be closed tightly • Syn: ↑box tortoise • Hypernyms: ↑turtle • Hyponyms: ↑Western box turtle, ↑Terrapene ornata • Member Holony … Useful english dictionary
box turtle — box′ tur tle n. ram any chiefly terrestrial North American turtle of the genus Terrapene, having a hinged shell that can be tightly shut. Also called box′ tor toise • Etymology: 1795–1805, amer … From formal English to slang
box turtle — noun A turtle of the genus Terrapene (the North American box turtles), or of Cuora or Pyxidea (the Asian box turtles), characterised by having a domed shell that is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape… … Wiktionary
box turtle — noun a land living turtle having a lower shell with hinged lobes that can be drawn up tightly. [Genus Terrapene: several species.] … English new terms dictionary
Ornate box turtle — This article is about the subspecies Terrapene ornata ornata. For the subspecies Terrapene ornata, see Terrapene ornata. Ornate box turtle Conservation status … Wikipedia
