terrapin
UK /ˈtɛɹəpɪn/ · US /ˈtɛɹəˌpɪn/ noun
Forms terrapins terapin
- noun (countable) Any of several small turtles of the families Emydidae and Geoemydidae found throughout the world.
- noun (countable, obsolete) Any turtle.
- noun (countable, obsolete) Any of several small turtles native to North America that live in brackish or fresh water, especially the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).
- noun (uncountable, obsolete) The flesh of such a turtle used as food.
Etymology
From torup (“snapping turtle native to North America, especially the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)”) or from its etymon Powhatan *tōrəp (“sea turtle”) + possibly English -ine (suffix forming derivative or diminutive nouns), perhaps influenced by Latin terra (“dry land; soil; planet Earth”). Cognate with Abenaki tolba (“turtle”), Penobscot dolba and Unami (pisëla)tulpe (“soft-shelled turtle”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any one of numerous species of tortoises living in fresh and brackish waters. Many of them are valued for food. [Written also terapin, terrapen, terrapene, and turapen.]
Etymology [Probably of American Indian origin.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “terrapin”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details