tortue

French

Etymology

From Middle French tortue, borrowed from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga, from Late Latin tartarucha, feminine form of tartaruchus, a mythological spirit of Greek origin, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος (tartaroûkhos, “inhabitant of Tartarus”), from Τάρταρος (Tártaros). Cf. also Medieval Latin tortuca. Compare Spanish tortuga, Italian tartaruga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɔʁ.ty/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

tortue f (plural tortues)

1. turtle or tortoise

Usage notes

The bracket term tortue also includes both turtles and tortoises.

Derived terms

• écaille de tortue

Further reading

• “tortue”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• tourte

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Middle French

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga.

Noun

tortue f (plural tortues)

1. turtle

Descendants

• French: tortue

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Norman

Etymology

Cf. French tortue. Probably from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga, from Late Latin tartarucha, feminine form of tartaruchus, a mythological spirit of Greek origin, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος (tartaroûkhos, “inhabitant of Tartarus”), from Τάρταρος (Tártaros). Cf. also Medieval Latin tortuca.

Noun

tortue f (plural tortues)

1. (Jersey) tortoise