amplexus

noun

am·​plex·​us am-ˈplek-səs 

: the mating embrace of some amphibians (such as frogs and toads) in which the male typically takes a position on the back of the female and tightly grasps onto the female with his front legs

Frogs mate in a position called amplexus, with the smaller male clasping the female from behind in a ride that can last two days or more. As she lays eggs, he expels sperm to fertilize them.

—Mel White

Examples of amplexus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There have been a lot of reports of misdirected amplexus in super-degraded habitats, and many of them have occurred in recent years. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 17 May 2022

Most species practice amplexus in some form, and there are many unique ways of carrying it out. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, "embrace," from amplectere "to embrace" (from am-, assimilated variant of amb- "around, about" + plectere "to plait, twine") + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at ambient entry 1, ply entry 3

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above