Phrase guide

tortoise shell

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The shell of a tortoise, sometimes inaccurately the shell of a turtle, or that material.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative form of tortoiseshell.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 龜殼 /龟壳 (guīké) — shell of a tortoise
  • Chinese Mandarin: 龜甲 /龟甲 (guījiǎ) — shell of a tortoise
  • Finnish: kilpikonnankuori — shell of a tortoise
  • German: Schildkrötenpanzer — shell of a tortoise
  • Ancient Greek: χελώνιον (khelṓnion) — shell of a tortoise
  • Gujarati: કચકડું (kacakḍũ) — shell of a tortoise
  • Hungarian: teknő — shell of a tortoise
  • Japanese: 亀甲 (kikkō) — shell of a tortoise
  • Korean: 귀각 (gwigak) — shell of a tortoise
  • Eastern Mari: щиток (ŝitok) — shell of a tortoise
  • Polish: szylkret — shell of a tortoise
  • Russian: па́нцирь черепа́хи (páncirʹ čerepáxi) — shell of a tortoise
  • Spanish: caparazón de tortuga — shell of a tortoise
  • Tagalog: kala — shell of a tortoise
  • Vietnamese: mai rùa — shell of a tortoise