painted tortoise
- noun
- /ˈpeɪntɪd ˈtɔːr.təs/
- US
:
tortuga pintada
- Bright red and yellow stripes make the painted tortoise easy to identify in its natural habitat.
Examples
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The painted tortoise is often found in ponds.
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Did you see the painted tortoise at the zoo?
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Bright red and yellow stripes make the painted tortoise easy to identify in its natural habitat.
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Children spotted a painted tortoise while exploring the wetlands during their field trip.
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The painted tortoise basked in the sun on a flat rock by the pond.
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Children spotted a painted tortoise while exploring the wetlands during their field trip.
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The painted tortoise basked in the sun on a flat rock by the pond.
Synonyms
1
5.1
A freshwater turtle with bright yellow and red marks on its shell and skin
A freshwater turtle with bright yellow and red markings often called the painted turtle
A freshwater turtle with bright yellow and red markings on its shell and head
Surface Forms
Morphology
painted + tortoise
This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'painted' means marked with colors and 'tortoise' is a shelled reptile, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a tortoise with colorful markings. The meaning is literal and compositional, following common cross-linguistic modification patterns rather than idiomatic usage.
Etymology
The name painted tortoise comes from the animal's bright, paint-like stripes and spots on its shell and skin. People said it looked painted, so the words painted and tortoise together became a simple name that tells you it is a freshwater turtle with bright markings.