chicken turtle

noun

An uncommon freshwater turtle, of species Deirochelys reticularia, found in the southeast of the United States, similar in appearance to the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), but with an unusually long, striped neck, a yellow stripe on each of its legs and a net-like pattern on its carapace.

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Meanings

nounchicken turtle (plural chicken turtles)

plural chicken turtles

  1. An uncommon freshwater turtle, of species Deirochelys reticularia, found in the southeast of the United States, similar in appearance to the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), but with an unusually long, striped neck, a yellow stripe on each of its legs and a net-like pattern on its carapace.

    ‘I've a chicken-turtle, which promises well—the first I've received this season, from what I call my West-Indian farm […].’

    1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 81

Origin

After the chicken-like flavor of its meat.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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