awkward turtle

noun

An informal gesture used to indicate that a moment or situation is awkward.

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Meanings

nounawkward turtle (plural awkward turtles)

plural awkward turtles

  1. An informal gesture used to indicate that a moment or situation is awkward.

Origin

From the resemblance to a turtle. The gesture seems to have been borrowed from Auslan sign language.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

awkward turtle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/awkward%20turtle

MLA

“awkward turtle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/awkward%20turtle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “awkward turtle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/awkward%20turtle.

Source: awkward turtle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.