terrapin
Any of several small turtles of the families Emydidae and Geoemydidae found throughout…Any of several small turtles of the families Emydidae and Geoemydidae found throughout the world.
» The Maryland Terrapins have defeated the Siena Saints, 85-70, to reach the second round of the men's collegiate basketball tournament here in Washington.
Meaning
4 senses(countable)Any of several small turtles of the families Emydidae and Geoemydidae found throughout the world.
(countable, obsolete)Any turtle.
(countable, obsolete)Any of several small turtles native to North America that live in brackish or fresh water, especially the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).
any of various edible North American web-footed turtles living in fresh or brackish water
(obsolete, uncountable)The flesh of such a turtle used as food.
Examples
1 sentencesThe Maryland Terrapins have defeated the Siena Saints, 85-70, to reach the second round of the men's collegiate basketball tournament here in Washington.
Translations
5 languagesOrigin
From torup (“snapping turtle native to North America, especially the common snapping turtlFrom torup (“snapping turtle native to North America, especially the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)”) or from its etymon Powhatan *tōrəp (“sea turtle”) + possibly English -ine (suffix forming derivative or diminutive nouns), perhaps influenced by Latin terra (“dry land; soil; planet Earth”). Cognate with Abenaki tolba (“turtle”), Penobscot dolba and Unami (pisëla)tulpe (“soft-shelled turtle”).
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Forms
plural: terrapinsWord family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable