cooters
Freshwater American chelonians
Cooters is the plural of cooter, a word with regional American meanings.
In the South, a cooter is a freshwater turtle, especially a slider or similar species: We saw cooters sunning on the log.
In vulgar slang, cooter refers to a woman's genitals—crude but not as harsh as some alternatives.
The turtle sense came first and remains common in rural Southern speech.
Turtle family member
- terrapinSmall edible marsh turtle
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
- reptilianOf snakes and lizards
- ectothermOrganism heated externally
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
- scuteHorny protective plate
- shellHard outer covering
- dome-shapedCurved like half-globe
keratin · calcium · armor · protection · exoskeleton · turtleback · rigid · tough
Small still body
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
- streamSteady continuous flow
- wetlandWaterlogged land ecosystem
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
swamp · freshwater · aquatic · riverbank · mud · lily pads · cattails · riparian
Warming oneself pleasantly
- sunningExposing oneself to warmth
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
- omnivorousConsuming all foods
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
nesting · aestivation · swimming · diving · egg-laying · thermoregulation
chelonian
Turtle family member
- terrapinSmall edible marsh turtle
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
- reptilianOf snakes and lizards
carapace
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
dome-shaped · keratin · calcium · armor · protection · exoskeleton · turtleback · rigid · tough · shielding
pond
Small still body
marsh · swamp · freshwater · aquatic · riverbank · mud · lily pads · cattails · riparian · ecosystem
basking
Warming oneself pleasantly
- sunningExposing oneself to warmth
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
- omnivorousConsuming all foods
foraging · nesting · aestivation · swimming · diving · egg-laying · thermoregulation
vulgar
Crude or indecent
- SouthernOf the region below
- regionalRelating to an area
- colloquialCasual, everyday language
cooterstortoises
Shelled land reptiles
sea turtles · box turtles · marine turtles · snapping turtles · desert tortoises