turtle

The words turtle and tortoise are sometimes used interchangeably, and turtle is the more general term. The word tortoise is sometimes used to distinguish a turtle as being a terrestrial (mostly land-dwelling) one, as opposed to an aquatic turtle (one that spends most of its time in water).

However, this doesn’t mean that a turtle is necessarily aquatic simply because it’s called a turtle. For example, the box turtle is primarily terrestrial (it can also be called the box tortoise).

Turtles and tortoises are both reptiles that belong to the order Testudines. Whether something is called a turtle or a tortoise often depends on its habitat and physical features.

Some aquatic turtles, like snapping turtles, have webbed feet, while others, like sea turtles, have flippers. In contrast, turtles that are called tortoises typically have stubby, round feet, and their shells are often more domed.

Here are a few quick questions to help you determine whether it’s more appropriate to call something a turtle or a tortoise.

Q: Does it spend a lot of time in the water and have webbed feet or flippers?
A: It’s probably called a turtle.

Q: Does it live mostly on land and have a domed shell and round feet?
A: There’s a good chance it’s called a tortoise, but this isn’t always the case.

Q: Is it a teenaged, mutant ninja?
A: It’s a turtle.

Still stumped? Ask a herpetologist.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between turtles and tortoises.

Should turtle or tortoise be used in the following sentence?

The huge, land-dwelling _____ of the Galápagos Islands is known as being one of the longest living animals in the world.