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Glite Dictionary
American toad

American toad

4.0
A common brown or grey toad with bumpy skin found in North America
  • noun
  • /əˈmɛrɪkən toʊd/
  • US
translation icon : sapo americano
  • The American toad is often found near water.

Examples

  • While walking in the park, I spotted an American toad sitting on a rock.

  • Have you ever seen an American toad?

  • The call of the American toad is a familiar sound in early spring.

  • While hiking, we spotted an American toad near the edge of the pond.

  • Young children enjoyed observing the American toad in the school garden.

  • In the damp evening air, the calls of the American toad filled the atmosphere near the pond.

  • The children were excited to see an American toad hopping across the trail during their nature hike.

Synonyms

Bufo americanus
vsAmerican toad
  • Specialized
8.2

A small brown toad that lives in eastern North America

has the same meaning but uses a different Latin binomial name

Surface Forms

American toad singular
American toads plural

Morphology

American + toad

The phrase 'American toad' is a straightforward adjectival modification: a toad associated with (from) America, so a learner who knows 'American' and 'toad' can derive the meaning. This adjective+noun composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern and thus readily comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

American toad joins American and toad: American means 'from North America' and toad is 'a warty, frog-like animal'. That's why the name means 'a common toad found in North America'.