chelonian
[ ki-loh-nee-uh n ]
/ kɪˈloʊ ni ən /
adjective
belonging or pertaining to the order Chelonia, comprising the turtles.
noun
a turtle.
Origin of chelonian
1820–30; < New Latin
Cheloni(a) (< Greek
chelṓn(ē) turtle + New Latin
-ia, neuter plural noun suffix) +
-an
Words nearby chelonian
chellean,
chellup,
chelmsford,
cheloid,
chelone,
chelonian,
chelp,
chelsea,
chelsea bun,
chelsea tractor,
cheltenham
Example sentences from the Web for chelonian
British Dictionary definitions for chelonian
chelonian
/ (kɪˈləʊnɪən) /
noun
any reptile of the order Chelonia, including the tortoises and turtles, in which most of the body is enclosed in a protective bony capsule
adjective
of, relating to, belonging to, or characteristic of the Chelonia
Word Origin for chelonian
C19: from New Latin
Chelōnia, from Greek
khelōnē tortoise
Scientific definitions for chelonian
chelonian
[ kĭ-lō′nē-ən ]
Any of various reptiles of the order Chelonia (or Testudines), which includes the turtles and tortoises. Chelonians lack teeth and usually have a hard shell that protects the body and consists of bony plates fused to the vertebrae and ribs. Unlike all other living reptiles, the skulls of chelonians lack temporal openings, which is characteristic of the earliest known reptiles (called anapsids). Chelonians evolved during the late Permian or Triassic Period and have changed little since.