: 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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With no major predators and a devastating effect on native reptile species, the cane toad turned into a case study for invasive species.—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2025 Come springtime, wildflowers carpet the desert floor; snails, fish and toads dwell in turquoise pools and springs; blue-hued sage and pinprick monkeyflowers grow from ancient living crust.—Meg Bernhard, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Advertisement Fittingly, Bad Bunny has turned the Puerto Rican crested toad into a symbol of the island’s resilience.—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025 The frogs belonged mostly to common species, such as the common frog and common toad, which are still found in Britain today.—Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Mar. 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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