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Definition of slider turtle
slider turtle
Plural:slider turtles
slider turtle Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
5
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A semi-aquatic freshwater turtle belonging primarily to the genus Trachemys, native to the Americas, distinguished by its habit of rapidly sliding from basking spots into the water.
Example
"We watched a red-eared slider turtle bask on a fallen log before it suddenly plunged into the murky pond."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for slider turtleWord Origin & Etymology
The name derives from the turtle's characteristic defensive behavior of quickly sliding off rocks or logs into the water when startled or approached by predators.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Slider turtle. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/slider turtle