means A slow-moving, land-dwelling reptile encased in a hard protective shell, famous for its extreme longevity.

from From Old French 'tortue' and Medieval Latin 'tortuca,' the name likely tangled up with Latin 'tortus' meaning 'twisted' — perhaps a nod to those crooked, columnar legs. One charming medieval notion linked the creature to 'Tartarus,' the underworld, casting it as a beast of the dark lower regions; that's more folklore than fact, but the 'tortue' line is solid. English reshaped the ending to 'tortoise' over time, and the spelling has been wobbling around ever since.