loggerhead

noun

log·​ger·​head ˈlȯ-gər-ˌhed How to pronounce loggerhead (audio)
ˈlä-
1
chiefly dialectal
a
b
: head
especially : a disproportionately large head
2
a
: a very large chiefly carnivorous sea turtle (Caretta caretta) of subtropical and temperate waters
3
: an iron tool consisting of a long handle terminating in a ball or bulb that is heated and used to melt tar or to heat liquids

Illustration of loggerhead

Illustration of loggerhead
  • loggerhead 2a
Phrases
at loggerheads
: in or into a state of quarrelsome disagreement

Examples of loggerhead in a Sentence

that loggerhead couldn't find the business end of a cow even if his life depended on it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yakushima National Park in Kagoshima Prefecture has pristine coral reefs where loggerhead and green sea turtles spawn. Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025 But something in Chocolat—the tale of a single mother, Vianne, who opens a chocolate shop in front of the church, on the first day of Lent, in a tiny, conservative French village, setting the villagers at loggerheads—had captured the public imagination. Joanne Harris september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025 Created by and starring Sylvester Stallone, the two were at loggerheads throughout the production. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025 This puts Texas and New York at loggerheads, legal experts said, which could lead to a lengthy back and forth of appeals and clashing state court rulings that could lead to nowhere or eventually force a federal court to get involved. The Hill, 9 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loggerhead

Word History

Etymology

probably from English dialect logger block of wood + English head

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of loggerhead was in 1588

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loggerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loggerhead. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

loggerhead

noun
log·​ger·​head ˈlȯg-ər-ˌhed How to pronounce loggerhead (audio)
ˈläg-
: any of several very large turtles
especially : a flesh-eating sea turtle of the warmer parts of the western Atlantic

More from Merriam-Webster on loggerhead

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