tadpole

noun

tad·​pole ˈtad-ˌpōl 

: 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

Illustration of tadpole

• tadpole in stages

Examples of tadpole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tiny frogs, big challenges Coquí frogs lay eggs on land, skipping the tadpole stage in a process called direct development. — Ana V. Longo, The Conversation, 24 June 2026

For decades, biologists thought that early tetrapods, ancient vertebrates that started conquering the land over 300 million years ago, developed like modern amphibians—beginning their lives as purely aquatic tadpoles and then metamorphosing into terrestrial adults. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026

Poison dart frogs go the extra (quarter) mile Male poison dart frogs, like many other frogs, are known for transporting their offspring from land to water by carrying the tadpoles on their backs. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 21 June 2026

But that only presented more questions because the fossil didn’t show any classic amphibian tadpole traits. — Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English taddepol, from tode toad + polle head

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tadpole

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol

Kids 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."