χελώνα
chelóna/çeˈlo.na/feminine
The Greek word for tortoise is χελώνα (chelóna).
χελώνα refers to a land-dwelling reptile.
Meaning: land-dwelling reptile (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word χελώνα is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /çeˈlo.na/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: che-LÓ-na.
Did you know?
- In Greek mythology, the tortoise is often associated with the god Apollo, who is said to have created the first lyre from a tortoise shell.
- In Greek, calling someone a χελώνα in a casual setting is a common way to tease them about their slow reaction time or walking pace.
- The word χελώνα comes from the Ancient Greek χελώνη, showing that the word has remained remarkably stable over thousands of years.
Examples in context
- Η χελώνα κινείται πολύ αργά.I chelona kinetai poly arga.The tortoise moves very slowly.
Example conversation
Kostas and Anastasia are walking in a park.
- Κώστας KostasΑναστασία, κοίτα μια χελώνα στο γρασίδι!Anastasía, koíta mia chelóna sto grasídi!Anastasia, look, a tortoise on the grass!
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΠού είναι η χελώνα, Κώστα;Poú eínai i chelóna, Kósta?Where is the tortoise, Kostas?
- Κώστας KostasΕίναι δίπλα στο δέντρο.Eínai dípla sto déntro.It is next to the tree.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΕίναι πραγματικά πολύ χαριτωμένη.Eínai pragmatiká polý charitōméni.It is truly very cute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tortoise” translations and entries χελώνα, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries χελώνα, CC BY-SA 4.0.
