Testudo

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Testudo \Tes*tu"do\, n.; pl. {Testudines}. [L., from testa the
     shell of shellfish, or of testaceous animals.]
     1. (Zool.) A genus of tortoises which formerly included a
        large number of diverse forms, but is now restricted to
        certain terrestrial species, such as the European land
        tortoise ({Testudo Graeca}) and the gopher of the Southern


        United States.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Rom. Antiq.) A cover or screen which a body of troops
        formed with their shields or targets, by holding them over
        their heads when standing close to each other. This cover
        resembled the back of a tortoise, and served to shelter
        the men from darts, stones, and other missiles. A similar
        defense was sometimes formed of boards, and moved on
        wheels.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Mus.) A kind of musical instrument. a species of lyre; --
        so called in allusion to the lyre of Mercury, fabled to
        have been made of the shell of a tortoise.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  testudo
       n 1: a movable protective covering that provided protection from
            above; used by Roman troops when approaching the walls
            of a besieged fortification
       2: type genus of the Testudinidae [syn: {genus Testudo}]
       [also: {testudines} (pl)]