poison dart frog

noun

: any of several small brightly colored frogs (family Dendrobatidae) of tropical Central and South America that produce poisonous secretions sometimes used by native peoples to poison dart or arrow tips

called also poison arrow frog

Examples of poison dart frog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Youngsters can be as tiny as a tadpole born from a poison dart frog. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2024 During another excursion—a hike and kayak trip into Portobelo National Park—my guide, Jason Ashcroft of Portobelo Adventures, shuffles a patch of leaves to reveal a green poison dart frog, and guides me to an island abloom with wild orchids. Terry Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2023 That’s the case for the poison dart frog of South America: a colorful killer that releases poison through its skin and is considered one of Earth's most toxic creatures. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023 The title of most poisonous animal on Earth is typically given to the beautiful and deadly golden poison dart frog of Columbia—the one-inch-long frog is sometimes drenched in enough poison to kill ten grown men. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2020 Blue poison dart frog males go to lengths to keep their offspring alive. National Geographic, 14 June 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poison dart frog was in 1968

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Cite this Entry

“Poison dart frog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poison%20dart%20frog. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

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