tadpole

The definition of a tadpole is the young stage of an amphibian, it lives in water, has a tail and breaths through gills.

(noun)

An example of a tadpole is the stage a toad is in before it gets legs and lungs for breathing outside of the water.

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See tadpole in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. the larva of certain amphibians, as frogs and toads, having gills and a tail and living in water: as it matures, the gills usually are lost and legs develop
  2. the free-swimming larval stage of tunicates, having gill slits and a notochord

Origin: ME taddepol < tadde, toad + poll, head, hence, toad that seems all head

See tadpole in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
The limbless aquatic larva of a frog or toad, having gills and a long flat tail. As the tadpole approaches the adult stage, legs and lungs develop, and the tail gradually disappears. Also called polliwog.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English taddepol

Origin: : tadde, tode, toad; see toad

Origin: + pol, head; see poll

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tadpole

tadpole in four stages of development

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