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Glite Dictionary
pickerel frog

pickerel frog

9.3
A small brown frog with dark square spots that lives near ponds and in grassy areas
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪkərəl frɔg/
  • US
translation icon : rana pickerel
  • Look, a pickerel frog!

Examples

  • Unlike other frogs, the pickerel frog secretes a mild toxin as a defense against predators.

  • We spotted a pickerel frog near the edge of the pond during our hike.

  • The pickerel frog is recognized by the dark rectangular spots on its back.

  • I spotted a pickerel frog near the pond.

  • The pickerel frog often hides among the grass in meadows, blending in with its surroundings.

  • During our hike, we spotted a pickerel frog resting near the edge of the pond.

  • The distinctive square spots of the pickerel frog make it easy to identify in the wild.

Synonyms

Rana palustris
vspickerel frog
  • Specialized
9.9

A type of frog from eastern North America called the pickerel frog

is the common everyday name for the same meadow frog species

Surface Forms

pickerel frog singular
pickerel frogs plural

Morphology

pickerel + frog

This is a straightforward noun-noun compound where 'frog' is the head and 'pickerel' specifies the type; a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a particular kind of frog. While the precise biological details (e.g. square spots) are not predictable from the constituents, the basic meaning 'a type of frog associated with pickerel' is compositional and immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

The name pickerel frog probably comes from the small fish pickerel because the frog's dark square spots look like the fish's marks, and the word frog simply names the animal. So, pickerel frog means 'a small frog with square spots', which helps you picture this animal.