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redbelly

redbelly

1 8.6
A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell found in Chesapeake Bay tributaries
  • noun
  • /ˈrɛdˌbɛli/
  • US
translation icon : tortuga de vientre rojo
  • northern redbelly

Examples

  • "Grow up!" – and for this he need not have come down to the dungeon and witnessed an ear-blackening head redbelly or anything else.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • The redbelly turtle is easily recognized by the vibrant red markings on its lower shell.

  • In the Chesapeake Bay tributaries, the redbelly turtle thrives in warm, shallow waters.

  • Wildlife enthusiasts often spot the redbelly turtle near the edges of streams and ponds.

Synonyms

red-bellied turtle
vsredbelly
  • US
8.2

A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell that lives in rivers near Chesapeake Bay

is the same species name written without a hyphen
Pseudemys rubriventris
vsredbelly
  • Specialized
9.9

A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell found in streams that flow into Chesapeake Bay

is the common English term used in everyday contexts
red-bellied terrapin
vsredbelly
  • US
9.9

A freshwater turtle from rivers near Chesapeake Bay with red marks on its lower shell

uses the general common term not emphasizing habitat

Surface Forms

redbelly singular
redbellies plural

Morphology

redbelly = red + belly (transparent) = red + belly

A straightforward descriptive compound: an animal named for having a red belly, so learners can infer the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

The word redbelly comes from the simple parts red ('red') and belly ('stomach' or 'underside'). It names a freshwater turtle with bright red marks on its lower shell, so the name tells you exactly what the animal looks like.