barking frog
- noun
- /ˈbɑrkɪŋ frɔg/
- US
- The barking frog is often heard at night during the rainy season in Arizona.
Examples
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Researchers recorded the unique sound of a barking frog for their wildlife study.
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Unlike most frogs, the barking frog's call can be mistaken for a small dog.
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The barking frog is known for its unique sound.
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Did you hear the barking frog last night?
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Researchers recorded the unique sound of a barking frog for their wildlife study.
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The barking frog is often heard at night during the rainy season in Arizona.
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Unlike most frogs, the barking frog's call can be mistaken for a small dog's bark.
Synonyms
A small frog from the southwestern United States and Mexico that makes a sound like a barking dog
A frog from the US and Mexico that makes a barking sound like a dog
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally built: 'barking' (making a bark-like sound) modifies 'frog', so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a frog that makes a barking sound. This pattern of naming animals by their vocalization is common cross-linguistically, making the meaning immediately accessible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Barking frog: The name barking frog comes from the sound the animal makes: the word barking refers to a call that sounds like a small 'dog', and frog is the animal. So the name helps you remember this species because its call really sounds like a dog barking.