toad

American  

[tohd] / toʊd /

noun

1. any of various tailless amphibians that are close relatives of the frogs in the order Anura and that typically have dry, warty skin and are terrestrial or semiterrestrial in habit.

2. Also called true toad.  a toad of the widespread and chiefly terrestrial family Bufonidae, having relatively short hind legs used in hopping and often having at the shoulders swellings containing glands that, along with the skin, secrete an irritating fluid in defense.

3. any of various toadlike animals, as certain lizards.

4. a person or thing as an object of disgust or aversion.

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toad British  

/ təʊd /

noun

1. any anuran amphibian of the class Bufonidae, such as Bufo bufo ( common toad ) of Europe. They are similar to frogs but are more terrestrial, having a drier warty skin

2. any of various similar amphibians of different families

3. a loathsome person

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Other Word Forms

• toadish adjective
• toadishness noun
• toadless adjective
• toadlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of toad

before 1000; Middle English tode, Old English tāde, tādi ( g ) e

Example Sentences

The pit in my stomach is a cavern and my butterflies are giant flapping warty toads.

From Literature

No one liked humans, not even the half-brained toads who lived in the muddy ditch along the road.

From Literature

Like a huge toad, the mound squatted above him.

From Literature

Every type of artillery had a nickname—toad, monkey, bee—as did every piece of equipment and every type of transportation, and sometimes the French slang terms were different entirely from the English ones.

From Literature

Species NWT has helped recover in Norfolk include crane, bittern, purple emperor butterfly and natterjack toad.

From BBC

Related Words

• frog