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Glite Dictionary
yellow-bellied terrapin

yellow-bellied terrapin

8.5
A freshwater turtle with a yellow belly often kept as a pet
  • noun
  • /ˈjɛloʊˌbɛliːd ˈtɛrəpɪn/
  • US
translation icon : tortuga de vientre amarillo
  • The yellow-bellied terrapin is a popular choice for pet owners due to its attractive markings.

Examples

  • Many pet stores offer young yellow-bellied terrapins for sale to customers.

  • The yellow-bellied terrapin is often found in ponds.

  • She learned about the yellow-bellied terrapin during her biology class on aquatic reptiles.

  • I saw a yellow-bellied terrapin at the pet store.

  • Many pet stores offer young yellow-bellied terrapins for sale to customers.

  • The yellow-bellied terrapin is a popular choice for pet owners due to its attractive markings.

  • She learned about the yellow-bellied terrapin during her biology class on aquatic reptiles.

Synonyms

turtle
vsyellow-bellied terrapin
385 1.0

An animal with a hard shell that lives in water or on land

is one specific freshwater pet type within that larger reptile group
terrapin
vsyellow-bellied terrapin
  • US
2 8.5

A small turtle with webbed feet that lives in rivers and marshes

is a similar freshwater pet often prized for appearance not for food
slider
vsyellow-bellied terrapin
  • US
1 7.9

A freshwater turtle often kept as a pet

is the same kind of pet turtle but with a different common name
Pseudemys scripta
vsyellow-bellied terrapin
  • Specialized
9.9

A freshwater turtle often kept and sold as a pet

is the common freshwater pet in the same range, not the scientific name

Surface Forms

yellow-bellied terrapin singular
yellow-bellied terrapins plural

Morphology

yellow-bellied + terrapin

The noun is a straightforward descriptive compound: 'yellow-bellied' means 'having a yellow belly' and 'terrapin' is a freshwater turtle, so the combined meaning ('a terrapin with a yellow belly') is directly derivable from the constituents. This colour + noun compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the component words.

Etymology

The noun yellow-bellied terrapin comes from the turtle's bright yellow belly and the word terrapin for a 'small water turtle'. So the name simply describes the animal as a small turtle with a yellow belly.