amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfi-bē-ən 

1

: an amphibious organism

especially : any of a class (Amphibia) of cold-blooded vertebrates (such as frogs, toads, or salamanders) intermediate in many characters between fish and reptiles and having gilled aquatic larvae and air-breathing adults

Unlike reptiles, most amphibians possess a smooth, moist skin and lay their shell-less eggs in water or wet places.

—Jeffrey P. Cohn

2

: an amphibious vehicle

especially : an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective

Examples of amphibian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As a biologist who specializes in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians), here’s my list of must-visit state parks – selected for the natural beauty of the site as well as the wildlife and, particularly, the herpetofauna that might be found there. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025

The center is permitted for all native wildlife, ranging from opossums, skunks, raccoons to songbirds, waterfowl, reptiles, and amphibians, Hamlin said. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 2 July 2025

Thanks to the Terrain Management system and multiple four-wheel drive controls, however, the Ranger PHEV effortlessly swam like an amphibian. —Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

The cicadas also provide abundant high-protein food for many species of birds, small mammals, and some reptiles and amphibians. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Amphibia, taxon including frogs and salamanders (from neuter plural of amphibius amphibious) + -an entry 1

Note: As a taxon Amphibia was used as a class name already by linnaeus (Systema naturae, 10. editio, 1758, p. 196 et passim), but in a sense that included both amphibians and some reptiles. Limitation of the taxon to approximately its current meaning dates from Thomas Gray's "A Synopsis of the Genera of Reptiles and Amphibia" (Annals of Philosophy, new series vol. 10, July-December, 1825, pp.193-217) according to Darrel R. Frost, et al., "The Amphibian Tree of Life," Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, No. 297 (2006), p. 355. The use of both English amphibian and Latin amphibius with varying gender and number to refer to animals living on both land and sea (and in figurative senses) can be found much earlier.

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for amphibian

• caribbean
• libyan

Kids Definition

amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfib-ē-ən 

1

: any organism that is able to live both on land and in water

especially : any of a class of cold-blooded vertebrate animals (as frogs and salamanders) that in many respects are between fishes and reptiles

2

: an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective