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marine turtle

marine turtle

2.6
A large sea animal with a hard shell and flippers that lives in warm oceans
  • noun
  • /mɚˈin ˈtɜr.təl/
translation icon : tortuga marina
  • The shallow, protected channels and beaches between islands provide a nesting and feeding ground for marine turtles and a breeding and nursery ground for humpback whales.

Examples

  • Conservation efforts are critical to protect marine turtles, which face threats from plastic pollution and habitat loss.

  • Six of the seven marine turtle species are listed as endangered or threatened due to habitat loss, overfishing, and human exploitation for eggs and meat.

    Blog text (3)
  • The catch consisted of 12 species of sharks, 25 species of fin fishes and rays, and 1 species of marine turtle.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Called both "esiw" and "posuban," the sacred mound or rock was covered with a marine turtle shell and was usually located in proximity to the dua ase.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Responding to U.S. environmentalists in May 1990, Salinas announced a total ban on the commercial exploitation of marine turtles and made a commitment to join the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

    Academic text (1991)
  • Although much of the island's vegetation was cut down in the 19th century, when the island was used as a prison, it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, underscoring the island's value as a feeding site for tuna, billfish, cetaceans, sharks, marine turtles, and dolphins.

    Blog text (7)
  • Of the world's eight sea turtle species, only the olive ridley, the most abundant of all marine turtles, and the much rarer Kemp's, or Atlantic ridley, stage such arribadas.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The leatherback marine turtle is the largest of all living turtles and can weigh over a thousand pounds.

  • Many people enjoy snorkeling to see the vibrant coral reefs along with marine turtles swimming gracefully by.

Synonyms

sea turtle
vsmarine turtle
18 2.5

A large turtle that lives in the sea and uses flippers to swim

is the more formal term used in scientific or technical contexts

Surface Forms

marine turtle singular

Morphology

marine + turtle

The meaning 'sea-dwelling turtle' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'marine' (living in or associated with the sea) with 'turtle' (a shelled reptile). This adjective+noun composition is a straightforward, cross-linguistic pattern in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the compound.

Etymology

Marine turtle combines marine, meaning 'sea', and turtle. This gives the simple image of a turtle that swims in the sea, so the name means 'a large sea turtle'.