tadpole — a young frog or toad that lives in water and has a tail but no legs
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a young frog or toad that lives in water and has a tail but no legs
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtædpoʊl/
Example Sentences
- My little brother thought tadpoles were baby fish until I told him they turn into frogs.
- The biology teacher brought tadpoles to class so students could observe metamorphosis.
- The tadpoles wiggled like tiny underwater dancers in the aquarium.
tadpole
NOUN[/ˈtædpoʊl/]
a young frog or toad that lives in water and has a tail but no legs
Baby frogs with tails, no legs
The tadpole reaches its goal, completing the whole!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Tadpole originated in Middle English as a compound of 'toad' and 'poll' (meaning head). The term descriptively refers to the larval stage of frogs and toads, which are characterized by their disproportionately large heads and small bodies, resembling a toad's head attached to a tail.
Breakdown
toad (the amphibian) + poll (head, from Old English poll meaning crown or head). The compound literally means 'toad head,' describing the creature's distinctive appearance during its aquatic larval stage.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My little brother thought tadpoles were baby fish until I told him they turn into frogs.”
“The biology teacher brought tadpoles to class so students could observe metamorphosis.”
“The tadpoles wiggled like tiny underwater dancers in the aquarium.”
“I accidentally scooped up a tadpole while trying to catch minnows in the stream.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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