red-bellied terrapin
- noun
- /ˈrɛdˈbɛl.id ˈtɛrəpɪn/
- US
:
tortuga de vientre rojo
- The red-bellied terrapin is easily identified by the vivid red coloring on its underside.
Examples
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Researchers studied the habitat of the red-bellied terrapin in the rivers around Chesapeake Bay.
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Conservation efforts have increased the population of red-bellied terrapins in recent years.
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The red-bellied terrapin is often found in shallow waters.
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Have you seen a red-bellied terrapin before?
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Researchers studied the habitat of the red-bellied terrapin in the rivers around Chesapeake Bay.
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Conservation efforts have increased the population of red-bellied terrapins in recent years.
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The red-bellied terrapin is easily identified by the vivid red coloring on its underside.
Synonyms
1
8.6
A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell found in Chesapeake Bay tributaries
A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell that lives in rivers near Chesapeake Bay
A freshwater turtle with red marks on its lower shell found in streams that flow into Chesapeake Bay
Surface Forms
Morphology
red-bellied + terrapin
The compound is directly compositional: 'red-bellied' denotes having a red belly (colour + body-part descriptor) and 'terrapin' is a freshwater turtle, so the phrase describes a turtle with red markings on its underside. This follows a common adjectival modifier + noun pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
The name red-bellied terrapin comes from the turtle's bright red markings on its belly, the underside of its shell. People used that simple picture to name this terrapin, so the name helps you spot and recognize the animal today.