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Definition of mud turtle

mud turtle

Plural:mud turtles
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mud turtle Lexical Profile

• noun

1

Any of various small, semi-aquatic turtles of the family Kinosternidae, native to the Americas, characterized by a smooth, dark, dome-shaped shell and a strong tendency to inhabit slow-moving or stagnant muddy-bottomed waters.

Example

"During the field study in the wetlands, the biology students documented a small mud turtle burrowing into the sediment to escape the midday heat."

Word Origin & Etymology

A descriptive open compound name referring to the reptile's primary habitat and its frequent habit of burrowing into the muddy bottoms of stagnant or slow-moving water bodies.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mud turtle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mud turtle
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