tortie
|tor-tie|
🇺🇸
/ˈtɔɹti/
🇬🇧
/ˈtɔːti/
tortoiseshell (cat/marking)
Etymology
'tortie' originates from English, specifically a clipped/familiar form of 'tortoiseshell,' where the '-ie' suffix is a diminutive or familiar ending.
'tortie' changed from the longer term 'tortoiseshell' (used to describe the shell-like mottled pattern) and developed as a colloquial short form referring to cats with that colouring, eventually becoming the informal noun/adjective 'tortie'.
Initially connected to the phrase 'tortoiseshell' (the shell pattern), it evolved into the informal term for a cat with that pattern or for describing that coloration.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
informal: a tortoiseshell cat (a cat with a mottled black-and-orange coat), usually female.
My neighbor has a tortie named Mabel.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
having a tortoiseshell (mottled black-and-orange) coat or markings.
The tortie kitten had patches of black and orange.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/19 03:10