loggerhead

noun

log·​ger·​head ˈlȯ-gər-ˌhed How to pronounce loggerhead (audio)
ˈlä-
1
chiefly dialectal
a
b
: head
especially : a disproportionately large head
2
a
: a very large chiefly carnivorous sea turtle (Caretta caretta) of subtropical and temperate waters
3
: an iron tool consisting of a long handle terminating in a ball or bulb that is heated and used to melt tar or to heat liquids

Illustration of loggerhead

Illustration of loggerhead
  • loggerhead 2a
Phrases
at loggerheads
: in or into a state of quarrelsome disagreement

Examples of loggerhead in a Sentence

that loggerhead couldn't find the business end of a cow even if his life depended on it
Recent Examples on the Web In Casino, Nicky’s voiceover does occasionally push the story along faster, but his version isn’t sufficiently at loggerheads with Sam’s perspective. Hazlitt, 7 Feb. 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself has flatly rejected the idea, saying that a neighboring Palestinian state conflicts with Israel’s need for security — and putting him at direct loggerheads with Biden. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2024 One morning, my children and I went on a patrol for loggerhead turtles with a naturalist. Gisela Williams, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023 Meanwhile, the DeSantis campaign and super PAC have been at loggerheads over advertising strategy for months. Nicholas Nehamas, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023 Family activities—including catching a glimpse of loggerhead sea turtles in their nesting sites, miles of unspoiled beaches and nature preserves, golf, games, movies, and more for everyone in the family. Karen Cicero, Parents, 14 Sep. 2023 Foreign security aid, plus immigration reforms Bipartisan negotiators are at loggerheads over a sprawling plan that would send security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific while also shoring up law enforcement at the southern border. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2023 Studies of loggerhead hatchlings off the coast of Florida have found that more than 90 percent of the teeny turtles, just a couple of inches in length, have swallowed plastic. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Nov. 2023 As the conflict continues in the Middle East, college students are alternately emboldened and alarmed, faculty are at loggerheads, donors are irate, and college presidents are embattled. Suzanne Nossel, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loggerhead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from English dialect logger block of wood + English head

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of loggerhead was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near loggerhead

Cite this Entry

“Loggerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loggerhead. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

loggerhead

noun
log·​ger·​head ˈlȯg-ər-ˌhed How to pronounce loggerhead (audio)
ˈläg-
: any of several very large turtles
especially : a flesh-eating sea turtle of the warmer parts of the western Atlantic

More from Merriam-Webster on loggerhead

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