noun
turpin
noun
1
An old, informal word for any land-dwelling tortoise.
"The old naturalist's notebook simply called every land tortoise he found a turpin."
How to Use Turpin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dated, informal name for a tortoise that lives on land rather than in water.
Word Forms
turpins plural, Turpins plural
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The old naturalist's notebook simply called every land tortoise he found a _____.
Etymology
Traced to Old French roots meaning "divine" combined with a word for an evergreen tree, later applied loosely to tortoises.