toad

noun

1
: 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
2
: a contemptible person or thing

Illustration of toad

Illustration of toad
  • toad 1

Examples of toad in a Sentence

He's such a mean little toad. that miserable toad is lucky to have even a single friend
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.
Invasive frogs and toads bully the smaller amphibians into decline. Alan Clemons, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025 One toad has a sandy brown body that seems to blend in with the surrounding rock. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2025 In 2019, the facility celebrated a major milestone with the birth of Olaf, the world’s first Puerto Rican crested toad hatched via in-vitro fertilization using frozen semen from the wild. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Feb. 2025 Crane's photography also ends up in the book in its raw form, rather than as illustrations, some of it giving a much closer look at specimens like toads, tarantulas or flowers. Austin Hornbostel, The Tennessean, 13 Dec. 2024 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Toad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toad. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

toad

noun
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on toad

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