: any of numerous anuran amphibians (especially family Bufonidae) that are distinguished from the related frogs by being more terrestrial in habit though returning to water to lay their eggs, by having a build that is squatter and shorter with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry, and warty rather than smooth and moist
He's such a mean little toad.
that miserable toad is lucky to have even a single friend
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Their advice can help turn any garden into a safe haven for frogs and toads.—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025 Being mindful of soil health assists with creating beneficial habitats above and below surface for toads, worms, lizards and microlife.—Lana Bortolot, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 However, there was a clear exception in the responses of adults, where the toxic toads and very large frogs elicited much weaker responses than expected for their body size.—Logan S. James, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025 Growers tried everything from flooding their vineyards to burying live toads under the vines.—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for toad
Word History
Etymology
Middle English tode, from Old English tāde, tādige
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of toad was
before the 12th century
: any of numerous tailless leaping amphibians that lay their eggs in water and are distinguished from the related frogs by living on land more often, by having a build that is shorter and thicker with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry and warty rather than smooth and moist
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