Etymology Explorer › Spanish

Where does “tortuga” come from?

tortuga (Spanish) comes from Italian tartaruga, from Latin tartarucha, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος, from Ancient Greek ἔχω, from Proto-Hellenic hékʰō, from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- — to hold; to overpower.

tortuga (Spanish): turtle; tortoise; snail

Definitions

  1. turtle; tortoise; snail

Ancestry of “tortuga”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiantartarugaturtle, tortoise; tortoiseshell; testudo
2Latintartarucha—
3Ancient Greekταρταροῦχοςholder of Tartaros, Tartarus, the land of the...
4Ancient GreekἔχωI have, possess, contain, own; I hold; I have...
5Proto-Hellenichékʰō—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseǵʰ-to hold; to overpower

Words derived from “tortuga”

  • tortuguita
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- →