[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

testudo \testu"do\, n.; pl. testudines. l., from testa the
   shell of shellfish, or of testaceous animals.
   1. zool. a genus of tortoises which formerly included a
      large number of diverse forms, but is now restricted to
      certain terrestrial species, such as the european land
      tortoise testudo graeca and the gopher of the southern
      united states.
      1913 webster

   2. rom. antiq. a cover or screen which a body of troops
      formed with their shields or targets, by holding them over
      their heads when standing close to each other. this cover
      resembled the back of a tortoise, and served to shelter
      the men from darts, stones, and other missiles. a similar
      defense was sometimes formed of boards, and moved on
      wheels.
      1913 webster

   3. mus. a kind of musical instrument. a species of lyre; --
      so called in allusion to the lyre of mercury, fabled to
      have been made of the shell of a tortoise.
      1913 webster
see also:
testudines testudo graeca 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

testudo
     n 1: a movable protective covering that provided protection from
          above; used by roman troops when approaching the walls
          of a besieged fortification
     2: type genus of the testudinidae syn: genus testudo
     also: testudines pl
see also:
genus testudo testudines 

Testudo >> T Words
Testudo, definition of term: Testudo
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