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Fur vs Tortoiseshell - What's the difference?

fur | tortoiseshell |

As nouns the difference between fur and tortoiseshell

is that fur is hairy coat of various mammal species, especially: when fine, soft and thick while tortoiseshell is the horny, translucent, mottled covering of the carapace of the hawksbill turtle, used as a veneer etc.

As a verb fur

is to cover with fur.

As an adjective tortoiseshell is

made of the covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.

fur

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Hairy coat of various mammal species, especially: when fine, soft and thick.
  • Hairy skin of an animal processed into clothing for humans.
  • * Lady M. W. Montagu
  • wrapped up in my furs
  • A pelt used to make, trim or line clothing apparel.
  • A coating, lining resembling fur in function and/or appearance.
  • # A thick pile of fabric.
  • # The soft, downy covering on the skin of a peach.
  • # The deposit formed on the interior of boilers and other vessels by hard water.
  • # The layer of epithelial debris on a tongue.
  • (heraldry) One of several patterns or diapers used as tinctures.
  • A furry; a member of the furry subculture.
  • * 2006 , Shari Caudron, Who Are You People?
  • "You want to know what brings furries together?" she asks. "Furs are here because they don't fit in anywhere else. For real furs, this is the only place they feel comfortable."
  • (vulgar, slang) Pubic hair.
  • (vulgar, slang) Sexual attractiveness.
  • Derived terms

    * fur cap * fur coat * fur farm * furless * furrier * furry * fur seal

    Verb

  • To cover with fur.
  • Derived terms

    * furred ----

    tortoiseshell

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • The horny, translucent, mottled covering of the carapace of the hawksbill turtle, used as a veneer etc.
  • The hawksbill turtle.
  • A domestic cat whose fur has black, brown and yellow markings.
  • Any of several butterflies, mostly of the genus that have similar markings.
  • Adjective

    (-)
  • Made of the covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.
  • Having markings resembling covering of carapace of hawksbill turtle.
  • Synonyms

    (checksyns) * (cat) (l) (colloquial)

    Derived terms

    * tortoiseshell cat