tor·toise·shell
ˈtȯr-tə-ˌshel 
-əsh-ˌshel
1
: the mottled horny substance of the shell of the hawksbill turtle used especially formerly in inlaying and in making various ornamental articles
2
or tortoiseshell butterfly
: any of several showy nymphalid butterflies (genera Nymphalis and Aglais) that have wings mottled with orange and brown or black
1
: made of or resembling tortoiseshell especially in mottled brown and yellow coloring
tortoiseshell glasses
2
: of, relating to, or being a color pattern of the domestic cat consisting of patches of black, orange, and cream
Examples of tortoiseshell in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
After all, this isn’t just a doctor adjusting his tortoiseshell glasses beside her.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
But customers aren’t just gathered outside the store’s doors to shop for an artisanal brand of toothpaste or a bottle of French micellar water—they’re there to nab the tortoiseshell headband that Carolyn Bessette Kennedy once wore to slick back her long blonde strands.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortoiseshell
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.
Noun
The relaxed shoulders and crew neckline make layering a breeze, and the tortoiseshell buttons and a cozy, textural weave add contrast.
—Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
After all, this isn’t just a doctor adjusting his tortoiseshell glasses beside her.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Dawn Allenby presented Richard St Ives with an oil-painting of a bull in a tortoiseshell frame which had caught her eye at the back of a butcher’s stall in St John’s Market.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
But customers aren’t just gathered outside the store’s doors to shop for an artisanal brand of toothpaste or a bottle of French micellar water—they’re there to nab the tortoiseshell headband that Carolyn Bessette Kennedy once wore to slick back her long blonde strands.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortoiseshell
Cite this Entry
“Tortoiseshell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tortoiseshell. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tortoiseshell
1 of 2 noun
tor·toise·shell
ˈtȯrt-əs-ˌshel
-əsh-ˌshel
1
: a spotted hornlike substance that covers the shell of some turtles and is used especially formerly to make ornamental objects
2
: any of several showy butterflies
tortoiseshell
2 of 2 adjective1
: made of or resembling tortoiseshell especially in spotted brown and yellow coloring
2
: of, relating to, or being a color pattern of the domestic cat that consists of patches of black, orange, and light yellow
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
