tortue
French
Etymology
From Middle French tortue, borrowed from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga, from Late Latin tartarūcha, feminine form of tartarūchus, a mythological spirit of Greek origin, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος (tartaroûkhos, “resident or native of Tartarus”), from Τάρταρος (Tártaros). Cf. also Medieval Latin tortuca. Compare Spanish tortuga, Italian tartaruga.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tɔʁ.ty/
Audio (file)
Noun
tortue f (plural tortues)
- turtle or tortoise
Usage notes
The bracket term tortue also includes both turtles and tortoises.
Derived terms
- à pas de tortue
- écaille de tortue
Further reading
- “tortue”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
- tourte
Middle French
Etymology
Borrowed from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga.
Noun
tortue f (plural tortues)
- turtle
Descendants
- French: tortue
Norman
Etymology
Cf. French tortue. Probably from Old Occitan tortuga, tartuga, from Late Latin tartarucha, feminine form of tartaruchus, a mythological spirit of Greek origin, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος (tartaroûkhos, “inhabitant of Tartarus”), from Τάρταρος (Tártaros). Cf. also Medieval Latin tortuca.
Noun
tortue f (plural tortues)
- (Jersey) tortoise