toad
n. countablen. a small animal that looks like a frog but has dry, bumpy skin and shorter legs. They usually live on land rather than in water.
n. a tailless amphibian of the order Anura, typically characterized by dry, warty skin and a preference for terrestrial habitats. Often contrasted with frogs, which generally possess smoother skin and more aquatic lifestyles.
A large toad sat quietly under the garden leaves.
After the heavy rain, several toads emerged from the soil to hunt for insects in the damp grass.
While many amphibians require constant proximity to water, the common toad is remarkably resilient, often migrating long distances across dry land to reach its ancestral breeding ponds.
From Middle English tode, toode, tadde, tade, from Old English *tāde, a shortened variant of Old English tādie, tādiġe (“toad”). Cognate with Scots tade, taid, taed, ted (“toad”). Compare also Danish tudse (“toad”), possibly originally from the same prehistoric root; also Swedish tåssa, tossa (“toad”), Old English tāxe (“toad”), Old English tosca (“toad”) by contrast.
Commonly used in a metaphorical sense to describe a person who is considered repulsive or contemptible.