Illustration of snapping turtle
- snapping turtle a
snapping turtle
noun
: either of two large American freshwater turtles (family Chelydridae) with a large head, powerful jaws, a long tail, and a strong musky odor:
a
: one (Chelydra serpentina) that has the head covered with smooth skin, has large plates in a double row on the underside of the tail, and is distributed from eastern Canada to Central America
Cite this Entry
“Snapping turtle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snapping%20turtle. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
