tortoiseshell

See also: tortoise shell and tortoise-shell

English

A small tortoiseshell butterfly, Nymphalis urticae.

Etymology

tortoise +‎ shell.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔː(ɹ)tə.ˌʃɛl/
• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔː(ɹ)təs.ˌʃɛl/

Noun

tortoiseshell (usually uncountable, plural tortoiseshells)

1. The horny, translucent, mottled covering of the carapace of the hawksbill turtle, used as a veneer etc.
2. The hawksbill turtle.
3. A domestic cat (or a rabbit, guinea-pig, etc.) whose fur has black, brown and yellow markings.
4. Any of several butterflies, mostly of the genera Nymphalis and Aglais that have similar markings.

Synonyms

• (cat etc.): tort (colloquial), tortie (colloquial)

Derived terms

• large tortoiseshell
• small tortoiseshell

 

Translations

covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle

• Czech: želvovina (cs) f
• German: Schildpatt (de) n
• Gujarati: કચકડું (kacakḍũ)
• Japanese: 鼈甲 (ja) (べっこう, bekkō), べっ甲 (ja) (bekkō)
• Polish: szylkret (pl) m
• Spanish: carey (es) m
• Turkish: kaplumbağa kabuğu (tr)

hawksbill turtle — see hawksbill turtle

pet whose fur has black, brown and yellow markings

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 玳瑁 (zh) (dàimào)

• French: écaille de tortue (fr)
• German: Schildpatt (de) n

type of butterfly

• Finnish: nokkosperhonen (fi)
• German: Fuchs (de) m
• Welsh: trilliw m

Adjective

tortoiseshell (not comparable)

1. Made of the covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.
2. Having markings resembling covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.

Derived terms

• tortoiseshell cat

Translations

made of covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle

• Czech: želvovinový m
• German: aus Schildpatt (de) n
• Polish: szylkretowy
• Spanish: de carey (es) m
• Turkish: kaplumbağa kabuğu (tr)