axolotl

noun

ax·​o·​lotl ˈak-sə-ˌlä-tᵊl How to pronounce axolotl (audio)
: any of several salamanders (genus Ambystoma especially A. mexicanum and A. tigrinum) of mountain lakes of Mexico and the western U.S. that ordinarily live and breed in the larval form without metamorphosing

Examples of axolotl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But, Ralston said, the axolotl’s story is not all plush and cuteness. Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 In the video, the 6-year-old started spinning and screaming with joy after opening axolotl food as one of her gifts. Angela Andaloro, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024 Its origins can be traced back thousands of years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, appearing in Mayan glyphs and documented in 16th-century accounts by Spanish missionaries in Central Mexico, who recorded tamales made with axolotl, tuna cactus (prickly pear), fish, and rabbit, among other variations. Cat Cardenas, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024 Regeneration: What the axolotl can teach us about regrowing human limbs. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for axolotl

Word History

Etymology

Nahuatl āxōlōtl

First Known Use

circa 1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of axolotl was circa 1786

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Cite this Entry

“Axolotl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axolotl. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

axolotl

noun
ax·​o·​lotl ˈak-sə-ˌlät-əl How to pronounce axolotl (audio)
: any of several salamanders of mountain lakes of Mexico and the western U.S. that ordinarily live and breed while keeping the larval form

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