chélydre

See also: chelydre

French

Etymology

From Old French chelidre, chelydre, from Latin chelydrus (“fetid water serpent”), from Ancient Greek χέλυδρος (khéludros, “amphibious serpent”), from χέλυς (khélus, “tortoise”) + ὕδρος (húdros, “water serpent”). Cognate of English chelydre. The meaning of a snapping turtle by reanalysis back to the feminine noun χέλυς (khélus, “tortoise”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ke.lidʁ/

Noun

chélydre m (plural chélydres)

1. (obsolete) a venomous and amphibious serpent

Noun

chélydre f (plural chélydres)

1. a snapping turtle

Synonyms

• chélydre serpentine
• tortue happante
• tortue hargneuse

Further reading

• “chélydre”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.