Carapace

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

carapace
    n 1: hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as
         arthropods and turtles [syn: {carapace}, {shell},
         {cuticle}, {shield}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Carapace \Car"a*pace\ (k[a^]r"[.a]*p[=a]s), n. [F.] (Zool.)
   The thick shell or shield which covers the back of the
   tortoise, or turtle, the crab, and other crustaceous animals.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

18 Moby Thesaurus words for "carapace":
      armor, chitin, cortex, elytron, episperm, lorica, lorication, mail,
      pericarp, plate, protective covering, scute, scutum, shell, shield,
      test, testa, thick skin

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