toad

American  

[tohd] / toʊd /

noun

1. any of various tailless amphibians that are close relatives of the frogs in the order Anura and that typically have dry, warty skin and are terrestrial or semiterrestrial in habit.

2. Also called true toad.  a toad of the widespread and chiefly terrestrial family Bufonidae, having relatively short hind legs used in hopping and often having at the shoulders swellings containing glands that, along with the skin, secrete an irritating fluid in defense.

3. any of various toadlike animals, as certain lizards.

4. a person or thing as an object of disgust or aversion.

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toad British  

/ təʊd /

noun

1. any anuran amphibian of the class Bufonidae, such as Bufo bufo ( common toad ) of Europe. They are similar to frogs but are more terrestrial, having a drier warty skin

2. any of various similar amphibians of different families

3. a loathsome person

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Other Word Forms

• toadish adjective
• toadishness noun
• toadless adjective
• toadlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of toad

before 1000; Middle English tode, Old English tāde, tādi ( g ) e

Explanation

A toad is an amphibian with dry, bumpy skin and no tail. A common myth says that toads will give you warts, but it's not true. Toads are actually a type of frog. They tend to be short and wide, and to have larger eyeballs than typical frogs. Toads also don't jump as high as other frogs, and they don't need to live near water. The typically bumpy skin of toads is what led them to be associated with warts, and this perceived homeliness has made toad a derogatory term: "You're nothing but a horrible old toad!"

Example Sentences

He also used symbols like the "pava", the traditional farmer's hat, and the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

There is a bench shaped like a butterfly, a retaining wall with a snake sculpture, and a green metal gate with an arch in the form of a giant toad.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

Presidents came and went while Hoover sat in FBI headquarters like an all-seeing toad.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2025

A snapshot of wriggling toad tadpoles has earned Shane Gross the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2024

Nothing like a witch turning someone into a toad or making a storm, but he could touch fire, make things disappear, or turn one small thing into another.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• frog