amphibious
adj.adj. able to live or work both on land and in water. You use this to describe animals like frogs or vehicles like boats that can drive on the road.
adj. relating to, living in, or suited for both land and water. Often describes military operations launched from the sea against a shore or vehicles capable of traversing both terrains.
Frogs are amphibious creatures that live near ponds.
The military used amphibious vehicles to transport troops from the ships directly onto the sandy beach.
Biologists are studying how certain amphibious species adapt their respiratory systems to survive prolonged periods of drought when their aquatic habitats disappear.
From Ancient Greek ἀμφίβιος (amphíbios), from ἀμφί (amphí) + βίος (bíos, “life”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun; can also follow linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain'.
Last updated May 9, 2026