Words / A1

TURTL/ˈtɜːtl/

A turtle is an animal with a hard shell that lives in the sea or in lakes and swims well. Countable: a turtle, turtles. A tortoise lives on land and is slower; a fish has no shell. Sea turtle; a turtle on the beach. Not a tortoise — British English uses both words.

Meaning

An animal with a hard shell that lives in the sea or in water.

Examples

• “The turtle swam under the boat.”
• “The turtle laid eggs in the sand.”
• “We watched a turtle at the aquarium.”

Good to know

a turtle (water / sea). Contrast: tortoise (land), fish (no shell). Place: sea, beach.

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