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tortoise beetle
noun
: any of various chrysomelid beetles (subfamily Cassidinae) with leaf-eating larvae
Examples of tortoise beetle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sciencey GIFs and Images∞ Opportunity, the loneliest robot, seen here crawling Mar's Murray Ridge from orbit Evolution sent the tortoise beetle from the future.
—Kyle Hill, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2014
Larvae of Chelymorpha alternans, commonly known as tortoise beetles, shroud themselves for protection with fecal coverings in the form of coatings, fecal cases or fecal shields.
—Prayan Pokharel, Smithsonian, 17 Aug. 2017
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1711, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of tortoise beetle was
circa 1711
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Cite this Entry
“Tortoise beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tortoise%20beetle. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
More from Merriam-Webster on tortoise beetle
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tortoise beetle
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