amphibian
amphibian
Definition
am·phib·ian (am fib′ē ən)
noun
- any of a class (Amphibia) of coldblooded, scaleless vertebrates, consisting of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians, that usually begin life in the water as tadpoles with gills and later develop lungs
- any amphibious animal or plant
- any aircraft that can take off from and come down on either land or water
- a tank or other vehicle that can travel on either land or water
Etymology: < ModL Amphibia < Gr amphibia, neut. pl. of amphibios: see amphibious
adjective
- of amphibians
- amphibious
amphibian
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- include: His talk will be on four wild animals, including an amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal.
- eat: Otters also eat amphibians, crayfish and the occasional bird and small mammal.
- benefit: Attempts to improve the water quality in the smaller ponds may benefit amphibians.
- keep: It can also be used to clean out tanks used to keep the amphibians.
- develop: The lush growth provides a safe nursery for developing amphibians including toads, frogs and smooth newts.
- help: C an you help this amazing amphibian survive in Cambridgeshire ponds?
Adjective modifier
- native: No native amphibians are known and any frogs, newts or toads found have been introduced.
- rare: The guide details some of the many steps in place to protect this rare amphibian during The Open.
- other: If you have a garden pond for newts and other amphibians, do not stock the pond with fish.
- small: This area also allows small amphibians such as frogs and toads to enter the pond easily.
- amazing: C an you help this amazing amphibian survive in Cambridgeshire ponds?
- British: All the six native British amphibians have declining populations but most still occur on our waterways.
Modifies a noun
- embryo: A similar example of signaling between cells had also been described in amphibian embryos.
- specie: Good populations of the widespread amphibian species are also present.
- pond: Advisory information on the creation of amphibian friendly ponds is available in various forms.
- decline: In many cases the causes of amphibian declines are unknown, despite considerable research.
- bone: Few amphibian bones may suggest the presence of an external structure around the feature.
- population: Pond clusters - these are much more likely to hold key amphibian populations than individual ponds.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near amphibian
- amphiaster
- amphiarthrosis
- amphi-
- amphetamine
- ampersand
- ampere-turn
- ampere-hour
- ampere
- amperage
- ampelopsis
- amphibiotic
- amphibious
- amphibole
- amphibolite
- amphibology
- amphibrach
- amphichroic
- amphicoelous
- amphictyon
- amphigory
