tadpole
Americannoun
-
tadpoles
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tadpole
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English tad(de)pol, equivalent to tad(de) “toad” + pol “head”; toad, poll 1
Explanation
A tadpole is basically a baby frog — it's the larval form of this aquatic animal. Tadpoles are tiny round creatures with long tails and gills for breathing underwater. One of many amazing things about frogs and toads is the transformation they go through during their life cycle. Tadpoles, also called pollywogs, look like tiny fish. During metamorphosis, their gills become lungs, they grow legs, and their tails are absorbed into their bodies. Adult frogs have little resemblance to the tadpoles they once were. Tadpole comes from roots meaning "toad" and "head."
Vocabulary lists containing tadpole
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
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Animals (Zoology) - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Scientists have long posited the earliest water animals to transition to land had amphibious tadpole features, going through a metamorphosis akin to that of today's frogs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
"This image swirls with light, energy and a feeling of synchronised movement between the lilies and the tadpole tails," said Kathy Moran, Jury Chair and Editor.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024
The researchers were able to show that certain personality traits are already present in poison dart frogs at tadpole stage and that they also persist after the subsequent metamorphosis.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2023
Under the right conditions, the spadefoot tadpole will transform into a voracious predator of its own species.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 30, 2023
Hadn’t Lyddie herself been working hard since she was no more than a tadpole?
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
Young amphibians are largely protected because tadpoles and larvae lack the keratin rich skin that Bd feeds on.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
That's not what we would expect to see in amphibians, whose metamorphosis from tadpoles into adults includes much more dramatic rearranging and development of organs and limbs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
A snapshot of wriggling toad tadpoles has earned Shane Gross the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024
Beneath a floating canopy of lily pads in Cedar Lake, Canada, a swarm of western toad tadpoles glided gracefully through the water.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024
The wind, thunder, and lightning stopped but it was still raining tadpoles and crawdads.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
