Turtle or Tortoise? What's REALLY the difference everyone's trying to cover up??

Answer 1

Although the word "turtle" is widely used to describe all members of the order Testudines, it is also common to see certain members described as terrapins, tortoises or sea turtles as well. Precisely how these alternative names are used, if at all, depends on the type of English being used.

* British English normally describes these reptiles as turtles if they live in the sea; terrapins if they live in fresh or brackish water; or tortoises if they live on land. However, there are exceptions to this where American or Australian common names are in wide use, as with the Fly River turtle.
* American English tends to use the word turtle for all species regardless of habitat, although tortoise may be used as a more precise term for any land-dwelling species. Oceanic species may be more specifically referred to as sea turtles. The name "terrapin" is strictly reserved for the brackish water diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin; the word terrapin in this case being derived from the Algonquian word for this animal.[1]
* Australian English uses turtle for both the marine and freshwater species but tortoise for the terrestrial species.

Answer 2

Turtle is the generic term for all shelled reptiles.

Tortoise technically is a member of the family 'Testudinidea', or the 'true tortoises'. They are characterized by elephant-like front legs and usually thick, heavy, high-arched shells.

All true tortoises live on land and can barely swim, if at all.

There are many non-tortoise turtles that live on land, or mostly on land as well- but they have turtle-like front legs and are not true tortoises, although many people lump them together based on habitats and general cares.

Answer 3

The words turtle, tortoise and terrapin, being common names,
have no fixed unchangable referents. In general, as pointed
out by other answers, tortoises are those that live on dry land,
turtles in the water, and terrapins also in water, often brackish.
There are exceptions, however, and anyone is free to use whatever name he wants, since common names are not
subject to regulation as scientific names are. Turtle is also used as a general name for the whole group, including
tortoises and terrapins.

Answer 4

Tortoises only live on the land and as the person above said, turtles can live in and out of the water.

Answer 5

as far as I'm aware, the turtle lives partly in water. The tortoise is a dry land animal.

Answer 6

Turtle are aquatic and tortoises are terrestrial and so turtles have paddled klimbs and tortoises dont

Answer 7

turtles have flippers and tortoises have feet!