Illustration of tadpole
- tadpole in stages
: a larval amphibian
specifically
: a frog or toad larva that has a rounded body with a long tail bordered by fins and external gills soon replaced by internal gills and that undergoes a metamorphosis to the adult
Examples of tadpole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Youngsters can be as tiny as a tadpole born from a poison dart frog.
—
Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2024
Today’s update is that the embryo is the size of a lentil and looks a bit like a tadpole, tail and all.
—Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2024
These tadpoles seem to have found strength in numbers, swarming past attacks from water bugs and leeches to continue nibbling on food—and any other appealing organisms that passed by.
—Liz Lindqwister, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2024
Laws’ father, Lawrence, said his daughter loved the color green and watching tadpoles grow into frogs in a pond on the family’s land.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tadpole 
Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 4 Aug. 2024
Today’s update is that the embryo is the size of a lentil and looks a bit like a tadpole, tail and all.
—Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2024
These tadpoles seem to have found strength in numbers, swarming past attacks from water bugs and leeches to continue nibbling on food—and any other appealing organisms that passed by.
—Liz Lindqwister, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2024
Laws’ father, Lawrence, said his daughter loved the color green and watching tadpoles grow into frogs in a pond on the family’s land.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tadpole
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tadpole.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tadpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tadpole. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tadpole
noun
tad·pole
ˈtad-ˌpōl 
: the larva of a frog or toad that has a rounded body and a long tail, breathes with gills, and lives in water
called also pollywog
Etymology
Middle English taddepol "tadpole," from tode "toad" and polle "head"
Word Origin
A young tadpole looks like a large head with a tail. In time it will develop back legs and then front legs. Finally it will lose its tail and become a toad or a frog. Our word for this immature form of a toad or frog comes from Middle English taddepol. This word was a combination of two others, tode, meaning "toad," and polle, meaning "head."
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