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Definition of giant tortoise
giant tortoise
Plural:giant tortoises
giant tortoise Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
Any of several large, land-dwelling turtles belonging to the family Testudinidae, natively found on isolated tropical islands such as the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, known for their massive domed shells, slow movement, and exceptional lifespans.
Example
"During his voyage on the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin observed how the shell shapes of the giant tortoise varied significantly from one island to another."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for giant tortoise• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound phrase combining 'giant' (from Old French 'geant') and 'tortoise' (from Late Latin 'tartaruca', associated with the underworld), applied by early explorers due to the extraordinary size of these insular reptile species.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Giant tortoise. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/giant tortoise