South American bullfrog
- noun
- /ˈsaʊθ əˈmɛrɪkən ˈbʊlfrɔg/
:
rana toro sudamericana
- Unlike its North American cousin, the South American bullfrog has noticeable teeth.
Examples
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The South American bullfrog can grow to an impressive size, much larger than most local frogs.
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Many South American bullfrogs can be found near freshwater lakes.
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Researchers studied the diet of the South American bullfrog in the Amazon rainforest.
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The South American bullfrog is known for its loud croaking.
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Researchers studied the diet of the South American bullfrog in the Amazon rainforest.
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The South American bullfrog can grow to an impressive size, much larger than most local frogs.
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Many South American bullfrogs can be found near freshwater lakes.
Synonyms
A large frog with teeth from Central and South America
A large frog like a bullfrog that lives in swamps and croaks loudly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'South American bullfrog' is directly compositional: 'South American' specifies geographic origin and 'bullfrog' names the large frog species, so the meaning 'a bullfrog from South America' follows from the constituents. This adjective + noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows standard English compounding, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name South American bullfrog says both place and type: South American shows where it lives, and bullfrog comes from its large body and a deep, loud sound that can remind people of a bull's low 'call'. So the name means a big frog from South America with a strong voice.
