Illustration of tadpole
- tadpole in stages
: a larval amphibian
specifically
: a frog or toad larva that has a rounded body with a long tail bordered by fins and external gills soon replaced by internal gills and that undergoes a metamorphosis to the adult
Examples of tadpole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But that only presented more questions because the fossil didn’t show any classic amphibian tadpole traits.
—
Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Government Intervention Houston toad tadpoles on the shoreline of a pond in Central Texas.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
The study also found that tadpoles in the pre-metamorphic stage had higher microplastic contamination than those closer to becoming frogs, and that heavier tadpoles showed lower concentrations — suggesting ingestion rates may shift as the animals grow.
—Ryan Brennan
may 12, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
Microplastics have previously been documented in fish, invertebrates, birds, reptiles, mammals, soil and water across the Amazon — but never before in wild tadpoles.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tadpole
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Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Government Intervention Houston toad tadpoles on the shoreline of a pond in Central Texas.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
The study also found that tadpoles in the pre-metamorphic stage had higher microplastic contamination than those closer to becoming frogs, and that heavier tadpoles showed lower concentrations — suggesting ingestion rates may shift as the animals grow.
—Ryan Brennan
may 12, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
Microplastics have previously been documented in fish, invertebrates, birds, reptiles, mammals, soil and water across the Amazon — but never before in wild tadpoles.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tadpole
Cite this Entry
“Tadpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tadpole. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tadpole
noun
tad·pole
ˈtad-ˌpōl 
: the larva of a frog or toad that has a rounded body and a long tail, breathes with gills, and lives in water
called also pollywog
Etymology
Middle English taddepol "tadpole," from tode "toad" and polle "head"
Word Origin
A young tadpole looks like a large head with a tail. In time it will develop back legs and then front legs. Finally it will lose its tail and become a toad or a frog. Our word for this immature form of a toad or frog comes from Middle English taddepol. This word was a combination of two others, tode, meaning "toad," and polle, meaning "head."
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