true toad
- noun
- /truː toʊd/
- Specialized
:
sapo verdadero
- Unlike frogs, a true toad has dry, warty skin and prefers to live on land.
Examples
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The common true toad can often be found in gardens and forests far from water.
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Many species of true toad are active at night and feed on insects.
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Look at that true toad!
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The true toad is often found in gardens.
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Many species of true toad are active at night and feed on insects.
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The common true toad can often be found in gardens and forests far from water.
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Unlike frogs, a true toad has dry, warty skin and prefers to live on land.
Synonyms
1
5.5
Describing animals that live on land and in water, like frogs
A group of toads with dry, warty skin that live in many parts of the world
Having rough, bumpy skin like a toad
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: 'true' (genuine/typical) modifies 'toad', so a learner who knows both words will understand it denotes a genuine or typical toad (as opposed to something only resembling a toad). The detailed taxonomic description (Bufonidae, tailless amphibian) is specialized knowledge but does not obscure the basic, directly derivable meaning.
Etymology
True toad comes from people using true to mean 'real' and toad for the dry, warty animal. That's why today true toad means 'a real toad' from the toad family and not other frog-like animals.