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Glite Dictionary
Bufo bufo

Bufo bufo

9.3
A common toad found in gardens and woods across Europe
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Bufo bufo
  • The Bufo bufo is a familiar sight in gardens and forests across Europe.

Examples

  • Scientists conducted a population survey of Bufo bufo during the spring breeding season.

  • Children were excited to spot a large Bufo bufo while walking near the pond.

  • The Bufo bufo is often seen near ponds.

  • Many people are fascinated by the Bufo bufo species.

  • The Bufo bufo is often seen near ponds and wetlands during the breeding season.

  • In Europe, the Bufo bufo, commonly known as the common toad, is a familiar sight in gardens.

  • Many people are surprised to learn that the Bufo bufo can live for over ten years in the wild.

Synonyms

European toad
vsBufo bufo
  • UK
3.7

A common brown animal like a frog with bumpy skin that lives on land in Europe

is the formal scientific name used by biologists for the same species

Surface Forms

Bufo bufo singular
Bufo bufos plural

Morphology

Bufo + Bufo

Knowing 'Bufo' as a genus of toads gives a B1 learner a clear cue that Bufo bufo refers to a toad species, so the general concept (a toad) is inferable from the constituents. However, recognising it as a formal scientific binomial and identifying it specifically as the common toad relies on knowledge of taxonomic naming conventions (tautonyms), which typical B1 learners will not have, so the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Bufo bufo comes from the Latin word Bufo, which means 'toad', and repeating the name was a simple way for scientists to mark the 'common' species. So the name literally means 'the common toad', which is why it is used for the widespread toad found across Europe.