tortoise

The story

1. Latin · derived fromtortus“twisted”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromταρταροῦχος
3. Late Latin · derived fromtartarūcha
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromtortuca
5. Middle English · inherited fromtortuse
6. English todaytortoise

From Middle English tortuse, tortuce, tortuge, from Medieval Latin tortuca, of uncertain origin. May be from Late Latin tartarūcha, from tartarūchus, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος (tartaroûkhos, literally “holder of Tartarus [the land of the damned dead in Greek myths]”), because it used to be thought that tortoises and turtles came from the underworld and they were commonly paired with such infernal beasts; see Τάρταρος (Tártaros). Or, from Latin tortus (“twisted”). The French-looking Modern English spelling tortoise may be influenced by porpoise. Displaced native Old English byrdling.

Words from the same roots