amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfi-bē-ən 

1

: an amphibious organism

especially : any of a class (Amphibia) of cold-blooded vertebrates (such as frogs, toads, or salamanders) intermediate in many characters between fish and reptiles and having gilled aquatic larvae and air-breathing adults

Unlike reptiles, most amphibians possess a smooth, moist skin and lay their shell-less eggs in water or wet places.

—Jeffrey P. Cohn

2

: an amphibious vehicle

especially : an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective

Examples of amphibian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Riverside Reptiles Education Center 132 S Road Enfield, CT For a bit of a different kind of experience, Riverside Reptiles gives kids a chance to see reptiles and amphibians up close. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2025

The American black bear is the universal symbol of the Smokies, but around 65 species of mammals, 200 types of birds, 67 native fish species, and more than 80 varieties of reptiles and amphibians call this area home. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 18 May 2025

Related Stories Snake Collected for Nature Survey Vomits Up Living Snake Boy Brought Lizards from Vacation and Now Ohio Has a Growing Population While the salamanders have numerous supporters at ARC and the organization's partners, the amphibians still face mounting hazards. —Kelli Bender, People.com, 8 May 2025

Named for the Aztec god Xolotl, the amphibians are only found in Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Amphibia, taxon including frogs and salamanders (from neuter plural of amphibius amphibious) + -an entry 1

Note: As a taxon Amphibia was used as a class name already by linnaeus (Systema naturae, 10. editio, 1758, p. 196 et passim), but in a sense that included both amphibians and some reptiles. Limitation of the taxon to approximately its current meaning dates from Thomas Gray's "A Synopsis of the Genera of Reptiles and Amphibia" (Annals of Philosophy, new series vol. 10, July-December, 1825, pp.193-217) according to Darrel R. Frost, et al., "The Amphibian Tree of Life," Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, No. 297 (2006), p. 355. The use of both English amphibian and Latin amphibius with varying gender and number to refer to animals living on both land and sea (and in figurative senses) can be found much earlier.

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for amphibian

• caribbean
• libyan

Kids Definition

amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfib-ē-ən 

1

: any organism that is able to live both on land and in water

especially : any of a class of cold-blooded vertebrate animals (as frogs and salamanders) that in many respects are between fishes and reptiles

2

: an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective