salamander

noun

sal·​a·​man·​der ˈsa-lə-ˌman-dər 

 also  ˌsa-lə-ˈman-

1

: a mythical animal having the power to endure fire without harm

2

: an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus inhabiting fire

3

: any of numerous amphibians (order Caudata) superficially resembling lizards but scaleless and covered with a soft moist skin and breathing by gills in the larval stage

4

: an article used in connection with fire: such as

a

: a cooking utensil for browning a food (such as pastry or pudding)

b

: a portable stove

c

: a cooking device with an overhead heat source like a broiler

5

: a mass of unfused material (such as metallic iron or partially reduced ore) in the hearth of a blast furnace

6

: the pocket gopher (Geomys tuza) of the southeastern U.S.

salamandrine

ˌsa-lə-ˈman-drən 

adjective

Examples of salamander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers had previously observed iron in the enamel of other animals, including beavers, shrews, some fish and salamanders, but it had never been reported in a carnivorous reptile. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2024

Biologists in local offices contributed to decisions about things like how many deer could be hunted each year, or how to protect rare salamanders. —Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024

The event's name refers to the eastern hellbenders, North America's largest salamander species, which are native to the Ohio River. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 24 July 2024

Sabin supported this mission by organizing trips into the woods on Long Island, where Schreiber and his family would find salamanders and snapping turtles. —Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 12 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English salamandre "a reptile believed to live in fire," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin salamandra, borrowed from Greek salamándra, probably of pre-Greek substratal origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing salamander

• spotted salamander
• tiger salamander

Kids Definition

salamander

noun

sal·​a·​man·​der ˈsal-ə-ˌman-dər 

1

: an imaginary creature not harmed by fire

2

: any of an order of amphibians that are covered with scaleless usually smooth moist skin and look like lizards