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giant tortoise
noun
: any of various large long-lived herbivorous land tortoises (genus Geochelone) formerly common on the islands of the western Indian Ocean and on the Galápagos Islands
Examples of giant tortoise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Aldabra Giant Tortoise, A Centuries-Old Wanderer of the Indian Ocean
On the remote atolls of the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra giant tortoise moves with slow, deliberate steps, seemingly unfazed by the passage of time.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The red-footed booby, a kissin’ cousin of the blue-footed variety, is also found in the Galapagos, as are marine iguanas, Darwin’s finches, sea lions and giant tortoises.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2024
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador Readers love this South American destination for the chance to see an unparalleled diversity of wildlife in their natural habitat, including giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024
The Galapagos giant tortoise can weigh up to 550 pounds, which is as much as a brown bear.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for giant tortoise
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'giant tortoise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1909, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of giant tortoise was
circa 1909
Dictionary Entries Near giant tortoise
Cite this Entry
“Giant tortoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giant%20tortoise. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
giant tortoise
noun
: any of various large plant-eating tortoises of the Galapagos Islands and islands of the western Indian Ocean
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