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tartaruga

turtle

noun tar-tah-ROO-gah Rare
Animals & Nature Wild Animals

Origin: From Late Latin 'tartaruca', linked to 'Tartarus', the underworld.

Also means

tortoise

Usage Note

Tartaruga covers both freshwater turtles and land tortoises; Italian does not systematically distinguish the two as English does. The sea turtle is tartaruga marina. The proverbial slowness appears in lento come una tartaruga (as slow as a tortoise).

Examples

"La tartaruga cammina lentamente sulla spiaggia."

Natural Translation

The turtle walks slowly on the beach.

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