: 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
Recent Examples on the Web
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Members of Wrenham Toad Patrols shared their frustrations on social media, noting that officials gave no notice of maintenance, which limited their ability to assist the toads.—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 One powerful example is the boreal toad, a species native to Colorado that has faced major population declines.—Alex Lehnert, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026 As warmer weather comes to Mlochowski Forest, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Warsaw, thousands of toads and frogs wake up from their winter slumber and begin their meticulous spawning journey to the marshes, a few kilometers away.—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026 Today's amphibians include frogs and toads, newts and salamanders, and the wormlike amphibians known as caecilians.—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 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