snapping turtle

Any of several large freshwater turtles of the family Chelydridae of the Americas, having a rough shell and powerful hooked jaws that close with a snap, especially the common North American species Chelydra serpentina and the alligator snapping turtle of the south-central United States.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

snapping turtle

(Animals) any large aggressive North American river turtle of the family Chelydridae, esp Chelydra serpentina (common snapping turtle), having powerful hooked jaws and a rough shell. Also called: snapper

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

snap′ping tur`tle

either of two large freshwater American turtles of the family Chelydridae, having a massive nonretracting head and powerful jaws: Chelydra serpentina, of warm muddy shallows, and the larger Macroclemys temmincki (alligator snapping turtle), of rivers and lakes.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

snapping turtle - large aggressive freshwater turtle with powerful jaws

turtle - any of various aquatic and land reptiles having a bony shell and flipper-like limbs for swimming

Chelydridae, family Chelydridae - snapping turtles

Chelydra serpentina, common snapping turtle, snapper - large-headed turtle with powerful hooked jaws found in or near water; prone to bite

alligator snapper, alligator snapping turtle, Macroclemys temmincki - large species having three ridges on its back; found in southeastern United States

Translations

chélydre

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

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These include three mature red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria), one mature yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulatus); one mature common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina); three mature black palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus), and one juvenile brown tufted capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella).

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