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Definition of leatherback

leatherback

/ˈlɛð.ɚˌbæk/
leath · er · back
Plural:leatherbacks
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leatherback Lexical Profile

leatherback Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The largest of all living turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), a pelagic marine reptile found across tropical and temperate oceans worldwide, distinguished by a flexible, dark, leathery carapace with longitudinal ridges instead of a hard bony shell.

Example

"The female leatherback crawled onto the sandy beach at night to dig a nest and lay her eggs."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for leatherback

• Rhymes for leatherback

• Nearby Words

leather
leather flower
leather goods
leatherback
leatherback sea turtle
leatherback turtle
leatherbound

Word Origin & Etymology

A descriptive compound formed from 'leather' and 'back', first recorded in the 19th century in reference to the turtle's thick, flexible, skin-covered carapace.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Leatherback. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/leatherback
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