toadeater

noun

toad·eat·er ˈtōd-ˌē-tər

archaic

: toady

Word History

Etymology

toad + eater

Note: A toadeater was originally the attendant of a mountebank peddling quack cures and antidotes. The attendant would eat or pretend to eat a toad, deemed poisonous, to allow the mountebank to show off skill in expelling the poison.

First Known Use

circa 1572, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of toadeater was circa 1572

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to a degree

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Style

“Toadeater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toadeater. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.

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toadeater

noun

Word History

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