carapace
/ˈkærəpeɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkærəpeɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈker-ə-ˌpās How to pronounce carapace (audio) ˈka-rə-/ (ame, mw)
carapace — noun
- carapacesingular
- carapacesplural
1. the hard upper shell on creatures like turtles, crabs, and some insects
the hard upper shell on creatures like turtles, crabs, and some insects
Ignacio lifted the crab by the edge of its carapace.
biology term: upper shell of a crab
The vet checked the turtle's carapace for cracks after the fall.
common pattern: check a carapace for damage
Lan brushed mud off the beetle's carapace before taking a photo.
After the rain, drops sat on the beetle's shiny carapace.
Quan sketched the ridges on the tortoise's carapace during biology class.
- shell
the usual everyday word; carapace is more technical and often means the upper shell
- exoskeleton
broader scientific term for an animal's outer supporting covering, not only the back shell
用法筆記
This word is more technical than shell and usually refers to the hard upper covering of an animal, especially in biology or descriptive writing.