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 or Urodela) 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 gophers (genus Geomys) of the southeastern U.S.

salamandrine

ˌsa-lə-ˈman-drən 

adjective

Examples of salamander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rather than representing a bizarre evolutionary innovation unique to salamanders, regeneration may actually reflect an ancient trait that many vertebrates once possessed more broadly. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Critics noted the district looked a lot like a salamander. —Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 15 May 2026

In 2007 researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute reportedly spotted a wild Graneledone boreopacifica octopus off the coast of California who went on to stay with her eggs for a record-breaking four-plus years—an even longer gestation than that of the alpine salamander. —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026

Elbridge Gerry created a district resembling a salamander. —Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 10 May 2026

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

Rhymes for salamander

• coriander
• oleander
• brander
• candor
• dander
• gander
• grander
• hander
• laender
• lander
• pander
• sander

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