amphibious

adjective

am·​phib·​i·​ous am-ˈfi-bē-əs 

1

: combining two characteristics

2

a

: relating to or adapted for both land and water

amphibious vehicles

b

: executed by coordinated action of land, sea, and air forces organized for invasion

an amphibious landing

also : trained or organized for such action

amphibious forces

3

: able to live both on land and in water

amphibious plants

amphibiously adverb

amphibiousness noun

Examples of amphibious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

France had an active deal worth hundreds of millions of euros to sell amphibious assault ships to Russia; Germany was the largest consumer of Russian gas in Europe and relied on those imports to fuel its manufacturing and industrial base. —Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 23 June 2025

What To Know The America arrived in Sydney on Saturday, followed by the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore the next day. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025

The 2025 Normandy Legacy Flight took off from Atlanta on June 1 and will return on June 9, after ceremonies to mark the June 6 anniversary of the start of the amphibious landing led by then General and future President Dwight D. Eisenhower. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 June 2025

Forces under General Douglas MacArthur landed in the Philippines just four days earlier in a massive amphibious assault. —Jeff Langholz, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin amphibius "living both on land and in water" (borrowed from Greek amphíbios "living a double life, living both on land and in the water," from amphi- amphi- + -bios "having such a mode of life," derivative of bíos "life") + -ous — more at quick entry 1

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

amphibious

adjective

am·​phib·​i·​ous am-ˈfib-ē-əs 

1

: able to live both on land and in water

amphibious plants

2

a

: designed for use on both land and water

amphibious vehicles

b

: carried out by land, sea, and air forces acting together

an amphibious assault

amphibiously adverb

amphibiousness noun

Etymology

from Greek amphibios "living a double life," from amphi- "around, on both sides" and bios "mode of life"