frog

1
[ frog, frawg ]
See synonyms for frog on Thesaurus.com
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, 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.: Compare toad (def. 2).

  1. a slight hoarseness, usually caused by mucus on the vocal cords: a frog in the throat.

  2. (often initial capital letter)Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a French person or a person of French descent.

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

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

  5. Music. nut (def. 11b).

verb (used without object),frogged, frog·ging.

  1. to hunt and catch frogs.

adjective

  1. (often initial capital letter)Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. French or Frenchlike.

Origin of frog

1
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 ); defs. 5, 6 of unclear derivation

usage note For frog

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 words from frog

  • froglike, adjective

Words that may be confused with frog

Words Nearby frog

Other definitions for frog (2 of 4)

frog2
[ frog, frawg ]
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.

Origin of frog

2
First recorded in 1710–20; perhaps from Portuguese froco, from Latin floccus “tuft of wool”; see flock2

Other definitions for frog (3 of 4)

frog3
[ frog, frawg ]
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.

Origin of frog

3
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; of uncertain origin

Other definitions for frog (4 of 4)

frog4
[ frog, frawg ]
nounZoology.

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

Origin of frog

4
First recorded in 1600–10; compare earlier frush in same sense, probably from French fourchette “fork” (see fourchette); presumably identified with dialectal frosh “frog,” hence with frog1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use frog in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for frog (1 of 5)

frog1

/ (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: Related adjective: batrachian

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

  2. a recess in a brick to reduce its weight

  3. a frog in one's throat phlegm on the vocal cords that affects one's speech

verbfrogs, frogging or frogged

  1. (intr) to hunt or catch frogs

Origin of frog

1
Old English frogga; related to Old Norse froskr, Old High German forsk

British Dictionary definitions for frog (2 of 5)

frog2

/ (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

  1. music, US and Canadian

    • 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

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

Origin of frog

2
C18: perhaps ultimately from Latin floccus tuft of hair, flock ²

British Dictionary definitions for frog (3 of 5)

frog3

/ (frɒɡ) /

noun

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

Origin of frog

3
C17: of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for frog (4 of 5)

frog4

/ (frɒɡ) /

noun

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

Origin of frog

4
C19: of uncertain origin; perhaps a special use of frog 1

British Dictionary definitions for Frog (5 of 5)

Frog

Froggy (ˈfrɒɡɪ)

/ (frɒɡ) /

nounplural Frogs or Froggies

  1. a derogatory word for a French person

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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