‖Che‐lo″ni‐a (kē̍‐lō″nĭ‐ȧ), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. χελώνη a tortoise.] (Zoöl.) An order of reptiles, including the tortoises and turtles, peculiar in having a part of the vertebræ, ribs, and sternum united with the dermal plates so as to form a firm shell. The jaws are covered by a horny beak. See Reptilia; also, Illust. in Appendix.
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Webster's Dictionary 1913
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam Co., 1913.