frog

¹ American  

[frog, frawg] / frɒg, frɔg /

noun

1. any tailless, stout-bodied amphibian of the order Anura, including the smooth, moist-skinned frog species that live in a damp or semiaquatic habitat and the warty, drier-skinned toad species that are mostly terrestrial as adults.

2. Also called true frog,.  Also called ranid.  any frog of the widespread family Ranidae, most members of which are semiaquatic and have smooth, moist skin and relatively long hind legs used for leaping.

3. a slight hoarseness, usually caused by mucus on the vocal cords.

   a frog in the throat.

4. (often initial capital letter) a contemptuous term used to refer to a French person or a person of French descent.

5. a small holder made of heavy material, placed in a bowl or vase to hold flower stems in position.

6. a recessed panel on one of the larger faces of a brick or the like.

7. Music. nut.

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verb (used without object)

frogged, frogging

1. to hunt and catch frogs.

adjective

1. (often initial capital letter) French or Frenchlike.

frog ² American  

[frog, frawg] / frɒg, frɔg /

noun

1. an ornamental fastening for the front of a coat, consisting of a button and a loop through which it passes.

2. a sheath suspended from a belt and supporting a scabbard.

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frog ³ American  

[frog, frawg] / frɒg, frɔg /

noun

1. Railroads. a device at the intersection of two tracks to permit the wheels and flanges on one track to cross or branch from the other.

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frog ⁴ American  

[frog, frawg] / frɒg, frɔg /

noun

Zoology.

1. a triangular mass of elastic, horny substance in the middle of the sole of the foot of a horse or related animal.

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frog ¹ British  

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. any insectivorous anuran amphibian of the family Ranidae , such as Rana temporaria of Europe, having a short squat tailless body with a moist smooth skin and very long hind legs specialized for hopping

2. any of various similar amphibians of related families, such as the tree frog

3. any spiked or perforated object used to support plant stems in a flower arrangement

4. a recess in a brick to reduce its weight

5. phlegm on the vocal cords that affects one's speech

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verb

1. (intr) to hunt or catch frogs

frog ² British  

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. (often plural) a decorative fastening of looped braid or cord, as on the front of a 19th-century military uniform

2. a loop or other attachment on a belt to hold the scabbard of a sword, etc

3. music

   1. the ledge or ridge at the upper end of the fingerboard of a violin, cello, etc, over which the strings pass to the tuning pegs

   2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): nut.  the end of a violin bow that is held by the player

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Frog ³ British  

/ frɒɡ, ˈfrɒɡɪ /

noun

1. a derogatory word for a French person

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frog ⁴ British  

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. a tough elastic horny material in the centre of the sole of a horse's foot

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frog ⁵ British  

/ frɒɡ /

noun

1. a grooved plate of iron or steel placed to guide train wheels over an intersection of railway lines

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Sensitive Note

The use of the word frog to mean “a French person” is a slur that arose because the French were stereotypically thought of as eating frogs.

Other Word Forms

• froglike adjective

Etymology

Origin of frog¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English frogge, Old English frogga, frocga; compare dialectal Middle English frosh, Old Norse froskr, Old High German frosk ( German Frosch ); frog ¹ defs. 5, 6 of unclear derivation

Origin of frog²

First recorded in 1710–20; perhaps from Portuguese froco, from Latin floccus “tuft of wool”; flock ²

Origin of frog³

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; of uncertain origin

Origin of frog⁴

First recorded in 1600–10; compare earlier frush in same sense, probably from French fourchette “fork” ( fourchette ); presumably identified with dialectal frosh “frog,” hence with frog ¹

Explanation

A frog is a small amphibian with long back legs that allow it to hop. Most frogs have fat little bodies and bulging eyes on top of their heads. You'll often find frogs near fresh water lakes and ponds, since they lay their eggs in the water. Perhaps the most famous literary frog is the one from the German fairy tale "The Frog Prince," in which a princess's kiss transforms a frog back into the prince he once was. Frog is also a very rude informal term for a person from France.

Example Sentences

Epibatidine, found in the Ecuadoran dart frog, causes muscle paralysis and eventual asphyxiation.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

"So what was it in the end - poison derived from the skin of a South American frog or Novichok?"

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was almost certainly killed by a poison derived from a rare frog toxin in an Arctic prison colony two years ago, several European governments said Saturday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

In the 1984 film “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” the famous frog shows up at Sardi’s disguised in an elegant outfit and a pencil mustache.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

There was a vague smile on the broad mouth and in the lines of the closed eyelids that made the frog appear to be meditating on a homey universe.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig

Related Words

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