leopard frog
- noun
- /ˈlɛpərd frɔg/
- US
- In 1949, Briggs began searching for a research fellow to develop a nuclear transplantation procedure for the North American leopard frog, Rana pipiens.
- leopard frog, Rana pipiens
- Northern leopard frog
Examples
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Then, because the leopard frog's tongue is positioned so far forward, it can retract its eyes to help push the prey down its throat.
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And what of Richard Wassersug's albino leopard frogs in Nova Scotia?
Fiction book (1991) -
But having living things—there are often as many as a dozen green and leopard frogs in the pond as well—in my backyard is fun.
Blog text (2) -
In Maine, northern leopard frogs also benefited from enhanced larval development in clearcuts (Blomquist and Hunter 2009).
Academic text (2009) -
Similarly, northern leopard frogs had greater tadpole survival, and gray treefrog tadpoles had faster development in clearcut experimental ponds relative to ponds in control forests.
Academic text (2009) -
The northern leopard frog can often be found near ponds and marshes, distinguished by its dark spots.
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Children love to catch a leopard frog during summer days, amazed by its vibrant colors and unique patterns.
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During the nature walk, we spotted a leopard frog hiding among the reeds, blending in perfectly with its surroundings.
Synonyms
A common North American frog that lives near ponds with green or brown skin and dark spots with white edges
A small green or brown animal that lives near ponds and wet places and croaks
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound names a type of frog characterized by leopard-like spots, so its meaning is directly and transparently derived from 'leopard' (spotted big cat) + 'frog' (amphibian). This descriptive, appearance-based composition is cross-linguistically common and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Leopard frog was named because the frog's dark spots look like a leopard's coat. So leopard + frog gives a clear picture and the name means 'a frog with leopard-like spots'.