amphibious

American  

[am-fib-ee-uhs] / æmˈfɪb i əs /

adjective

1. living or able to live both on land and in water; belonging to both land and water.

2. Also capable of operating on both land and water.

   amphibious vehicles.

3. of or relating to military operations by both land and naval forces against the same object, especially to a military attack by troops landed by naval ships.

4. trained or organized to fight, or fighting, on both land and sea.

   amphibious troops.

5. combining two qualities, kinds, traits, etc.; of or having a mixed or twofold nature.

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amphibious British  

/ æmˈfɪbɪəs /

adjective

1. able to live both on land and in the water, as frogs, toads, etc

2. designed for operation on or from both water and land

3. relating to military forces and equipment organized for operations launched from the sea against an enemy shore

4. having a dual or mixed nature

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Other Word Forms

• amphibiously adverb
• amphibiousness noun
• nonamphibious adjective
• nonamphibiously adverb
• nonamphibiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of amphibious

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin amphibius, from Greek amphíbios “living a double life”; amphi-, bio-, -ous

Example Sentences

Earlier this year, thousands of American Marines and sailors came together with Japan’s amphibious brigade for weekslong drills in southwest Japan.

From The Wall Street Journal

There appear to be three routes for US forces wishing to seize the island -– an airborne attack; an amphibious operation; or a combination of the two.

From Barron's

Still, the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying around 3,500 Marines and sailors, arrived in the Middle East on Friday.

From Barron's

He had been the man in charge of planning and commanding the largest amphibious military operation in history, the invasion of western Europe on D-Day, so he knew what he was talking about.

From BBC

Two US Marine amphibious units are currently deploying to the Gulf.

From BBC

Related Words

• floating
• marine
• maritime