: any of numerous anuran amphibians (especially family Bufonidae) that are distinguished from the related frogs by being more terrestrial in habit though returning to water to lay their eggs, by having a build that is squatter and shorter with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry, and warty rather than smooth and moist
He's such a mean little toad.
that miserable toad is lucky to have even a single friend
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The insects have rough, warty backs like toads too.—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 13 May 2025 At another point, he’s forced to fight while on a psychedelic trip after ingesting toad venom.—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2025 With very few predators, the toads quickly spread across northern Australia.—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025 The Puerto Rican crested toad, known by its Spanish name in the album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, is the only toad species native to that country.—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for toad
Word History
Etymology
Middle English tode, from Old English tāde, tādige
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of toad was
before the 12th century
: any of numerous tailless leaping amphibians that lay their eggs in water and are distinguished from the related frogs by living on land more often, by having a build that is shorter and thicker with weaker and shorter hind limbs, and by having skin that is rough, dry and warty rather than smooth and moist
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