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Glite Dictionary
European toad

European toad

3.7
A common brown animal like a frog with bumpy skin that lives on land in Europe
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : sapo europeo
  • The European toad is frequently found in gardens and woodlands across the continent.

Examples

  • Many predators avoid the European toad because of its toxic skin secretions.

  • During spring, European toads migrate to ponds and lakes to breed.

  • The European toad is often found in gardens.

  • Have you ever seen a European toad?

  • During spring, European toads migrate to ponds and lakes to breed.

  • Many predators avoid the European toad because of its toxic skin secretions.

  • The European toad is frequently found in gardens and woodlands across the continent.

Synonyms

Bufo bufo
vsEuropean toad
  • Specialized
9.3

A common toad found in gardens and woods across Europe

is the everyday name used outside science

Surface Forms

European toad singular
European toads plural

Morphology

European + toad

The meaning is directly compositional: 'European' specifies origin/association with Europe and 'toad' names the amphibian, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer 'a toad from Europe.' This kind of adjective + noun combination is cross-linguistically common and follows straightforward English noun phrase composition, making it transparent to learners.

Etymology

European toad comes from the simple idea of naming an animal: a toad that lives in Europe. People who study animals used the place name to tell this species apart, so the name now means 'a common toad found in Europe'.