Definitions

1. noun

A hard outer covering or shell, especially of a turtle, crab, or other reptile or crustacean, that serves as protection and supports the animal’s body.

“The tortoise’s carapace was a beautiful shade of brown, perfectly camouflaged for its desert habitat.”

2. noun

A protective or defensive covering, especially of something abstract or metaphorical.

“The company’s carapace of bureaucracy made it difficult for new ideas to penetrate.”