the aquatic larva of frogs, toads, etc, which develops from a limbless tailed form with external gills into a form with internal gills, limbs, and a reduced tail
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
tad•pole /ˈtædpoʊl/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Reptilesthe larva of frogs and toads, living in water, having internal gills and a tail.
tad•pole
(tad′pōl),USA pronunciation n.
- Reptilesthe aquatic larva or immature form of frogs and toads, esp. after the development of the internal gills and before the appearance of the forelimbs and the resorption of the tail.
- late Middle English tad(de)pol, equivalent. to tad(de) toad + pol poll1 (head) 1400–50
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