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

tortoise \tor"toise\, n. oe. tortuce, fr. of. tortis crooked,
   fr. l. tortus twisted, crooked, contorted, p. p. of torquere,
   tortum, to wind; cf. f. tortue tortoise, ll. tortuca,
   tartuca, pr. tortesa crookedness, tortis crooked. so called
   in allusion to its crooked feet. see torture.
   1. zool. any one of numerous species of reptiles of the
      order testudinata.
      1913 webster

   note: the term is applied especially to the land and
         fresh-water species, while the marine species are
         generally called turtles, but the terms tortoise and
         turtle are used synonymously by many writers. see
         testudinata, terrapin, and turtle.
         1913 webster

   2. rom. antiq. same as testudo, 2.
      1913 webster

   box tortoise, land tortoise, etc. see under box,
      land, etc.

   painted tortoise. zool. see painted turtle, under
      painted.

   soft-shell tortoise. zool. see trionyx.

   spotted tortoise. zool. a small american fresh-water
      tortoise chelopus guttatus or nanemys guttatus
      having a blackish carapace on which are scattered round
      yellow spots.

   tortoise beetle zool., any one of numerous species of
      small tortoise-shaped beetles. many of them have a
      brilliant metallic luster. the larvae feed upon the leaves
      of various plants, and protect themselves beneath a mass
      of dried excrement held over the back by means of the
      caudal spines. the golden tortoise beetle cassida
      aurichalcea is found on the morning-glory vine and
      allied plants.

   tortoise plant. bot. see elephant's foot, under
      elephant.

   tortoise shell, the substance of the shell or horny plates
      of several species of sea turtles, especially of the
      hawkbill turtle. it is used in inlaying and in the
      manufacture of various ornamental articles.

   tortoise-shell butterfly zool., any one of several
      species of handsomely colored butterflies of the genus
      aglais, as aglais milberti, and aglais urticae, both
      of which, in the larva state, feed upon nettles.

   tortoise-shell turtle zool., the hawkbill turtle. see
      hawkbill.
      1913 webster
see also:
torture testudinata terrapin turtle testudo box tortoise 
land tortoise box land painted tortoise painted turtle 
painted soft-shell tortoise trionyx spotted tortoise chelopus guttatus 
nanemys guttatus tortoise beetle cassida aurichalcea tortoise plant elephant's foot 
elephant tortoise shell tortoise-shell butterfly aglais aglais milberti 
aglais urticae tortoise-shell turtle hawkbill 

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

elephant \el"ephant\ e^l"-efant, n. oe. elefaunt,
   olifant, of. olifant, f. 'el'ephant, l. elephantus,
   elephas, -antis, fr. gr. 'ele`fas, 'ele`fantos; of unknown
   origin; perh. fr. skr. ibha, with the semitic article al, el,
   prefixed, or fr. semitic aleph hindi indian bull; or cf.
   goth. ulbandus camel, as. olfend.
   1. zo"ol. a mammal of the order proboscidia and family
      elephantidae, of which two living species, elephas
      maximus formerly elephas indicus and loxodonta
      africana formerly e. africanus, and several fossil
      species, are known. they have five toes, a long proboscis
      or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the
      extremity of the upper jaw, and curving upwards. the molar
      teeth are large and have transverse folds. elephants are
      the largest land animals now existing. the elephant is
      classed as a pachyderm.
      1913 webster

   2. ivory; the tusk of the elephant. obs. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   elephant apple bot., an east indian fruit with a rough,
      hard rind, and edible pulp, borne by feronia elephantum,
      a large tree related to the orange.

   elephant bed geol., at brighton, england, abounding in
      fossil remains of elephants. --mantell.

   elephant beetle zo"ol., any very large beetle of the
      genus goliathus esp. g. giganteus, of the family
      scarabaeidae. they inhabit west africa.

   elephant fish zo"ol., a chimaeroid fish
      callorhynchus antarcticus, with a proboscis-like
      projection of the snout.

   elephant paper, paper of large size, 23 times 28 inches.
      

   double elephant paper, paper measuring 263/4 times 40
      inches. see note under paper.

   elephant seal zo"ol., an african jumping shrew
      macroscelides typicus, having a long nose like a
      proboscis.

   elephant's ear bot., a name given to certain species of
      the genus begonia, which have immense one-sided leaves.

   elephant's foot bot.
      a a south african plant testudinaria elephantipes,
          which has a massive rootstock covered with a kind of
          bark cracked with deep fissures; -- called also
          tortoise plant. the interior part is barely edible,
          whence the plant is also called hottentot's bread.
      b a genus elephantopus of coarse, composite weeds.
          

   elephant's tusk zo"ol., the tooth shell. see
      dentalium.
      1913 webster
see also:
proboscidia elephantidae elephas maximus elephas indicus loxodonta africana e. africanus 
elephant apple feronia elephantum elephant bed elephant beetle goliathus 
g. giganteus scarabaeidae elephant fish callorhynchus antarcticus elephant paper 
double elephant paper paper elephant seal macroscelides typicus elephant's ear 
elephant's foot testudinaria elephantipes tortoise plant hottentot's bread elephantopus 
elephant's tusk dentalium 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

tortoise plant
     n : south african vine having a massive rootstock covered with
         deeply fissured bark syn: elephant's-foot, hottentot
         bread vine, hottentot's bread vine, dioscorea
         elephantipes
see also:
elephant's-foot hottentot bread vine hottentot's bread vine dioscorea elephantipes 

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Plant, definition of term: Plant
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Plant Hopper, definition of term: Plant Hopper
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Plant Life, definition of term: Plant Life
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Indigo Plant >> I Words
Indigo Plant, definition of term: Indigo Plant
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Air Plant >> A Words
Air Plant, definition of term: Air Plant
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Gopher Tortoise, definition of term: Gopher Tortoise
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Aquatic Plant >> A Words
Aquatic Plant, definition of term: Aquatic Plant
aquatic+plant_pag1.html

Box Tortoise >> B Words
Box Tortoise, definition of term: Box Tortoise
box+tortoise_pag1.html

Century Plant >> C Words
Century Plant, definition of term: Century Plant
century+plant_pag1.html

Desert Tortoise >> D Words
Desert Tortoise, definition of term: Desert Tortoise
desert+tortoise_pag1.html

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