newt
Americannoun
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any of several brilliantly colored salamanders of the family Salamandridae, especially those of the genera Triturus and Notophthalmus, of North America, Europe, and northern Asia.
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any of various other small salamanders.
noun
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any of various small semiaquatic urodele amphibians, such as Triturus vulgaris ( common newt ) of Europe, having a long slender body and tail and short feeble legs
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any other urodele amphibian, including the salamanders
Etymology
Origin of newt
1375–1425; late Middle English newte, for ewte (the phrase an ewte being taken as a newte; nickname ), variant of evet, Old English efete eft 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a California newt waddling through Millard Canyon falls.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025
Conditions require the developers to protect nearby trees, abide by the great crested newt mitigation principles and arrange an "archaeological watching brief".
From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023
Here in the Pacific Northwest spring, tiger salamanders emerge from their fossorial homes to breed, and the poisonous rough-skinned newt accelerates its activities with the warming sun.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2023
“It’s important to build safe passages for all kinds of animals, whether it’s a little tiny newt or a big beautiful mountain lion,” Ms. Gale said.
From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2023
“I guess if we have to wait for the eye of newt and heart of toad to present themselves, we might as well get comfortable. What’d you bring?”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
