Illustration of terrapin
terrapin
noun
ter·ra·pin
ˈter-ə-pən 
: any of various aquatic turtles (family Emydidae)
especially
: diamondback terrapin
Examples of terrapin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Diamondback terrapins and dolphins reside in the local salt marshes that surround the island.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Read more about the efforts here: More: 'Welcome to the world': Baby terrapins arrive in Barrington
Saltmarsh sparrow
No species of bird is as threatened by rising seas caused by climate change than the saltmarsh sparrow, a shy songbird found only on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 22 Apr. 2026
Long before the cronut and everything being Dubai-flavored, a craze for terrapin soup swept across the eastern seaboard in the 19th century.
—James Stout, Outside, 29 Mar. 2026
While native fauna spans from the northern river terrapin to the Asian small-clawed otter, the park is best known for one animal in particular: the Bengal tiger.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
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Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Read more about the efforts here: More: 'Welcome to the world': Baby terrapins arrive in Barrington
Saltmarsh sparrow
No species of bird is as threatened by rising seas caused by climate change than the saltmarsh sparrow, a shy songbird found only on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
—Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 22 Apr. 2026
Long before the cronut and everything being Dubai-flavored, a craze for terrapin soup swept across the eastern seaboard in the 19th century.
—James Stout, Outside, 29 Mar. 2026
While native fauna spans from the northern river terrapin to the Asian small-clawed otter, the park is best known for one animal in particular: the Bengal tiger.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrapin
Cite this Entry
“Terrapin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrapin. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrapin
noun
ter·ra·pin
ˈter-ə-pən
ˈtar-
: any of various North American turtles living in fresh or somewhat salty water
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