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Definition of olive ridley sea turtle
olive ridley sea turtle
Plural:olive ridley sea turtles
olive ridley sea turtle Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A small species of marine turtle found primarily in the warm and tropical waters of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, distinguished by its heart-shaped, olive-green shell and famous for its synchronized mass nestings known as arribadas.
Example
"Conservationists patrol the beaches of Costa Rica to protect the eggs of the olive ridley sea turtle from poachers during the mass nesting season."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the olive-green color of its heart-shaped carapace. The term 'ridley' is of unknown origin, historically used in Florida and the Caribbean to describe these particular sea turtles.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Olive ridley sea turtle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/olive ridley sea turtle