amphibian
am-FIB-ee-uhn
/æmˈfɪb.i.ən/
A cold-blooded vertebrate animal of a class comprising frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders, distinguished by an aquatic gill-breathing larval stage followed by a terrestrial lung-breathing adult stage.
Highlights a dual life cycle spending time both in water and on land.
The story behind the word. Formed from Greek 'amphibios', meaning 'living a double life'. The root 'amphi' means 'on both sides' or 'double', and 'bios' means 'life'. It accurately describes creatures that divide their existence between aquatic larval forms and terrestrial adult forms.
Commonly confused with
- reptile: Amphibians undergo metamorphosis from aquatic larvae with gills to air-breathing adults, whereas reptiles hatch directly into air-breathing forms.
Word family
- amphibious (adjective): Suited for both land and water.
Collocations
- amphibian decline
- amphibian species
- amphibian larva
- native amphibian
Example sentences
- "Because an amphibian absorbs water directly through permeable skin, it is uniquely sensitive to environmental toxins." Environmental science
- "The transition from an aquatic tadpole to a land-dwelling adult frog exemplifies the metamorphosis of an amphibian." Biological research
Memory hook
AMPHI means 'both' (like an amphitheater with seats on both sides) + BIO (life) = living both water and land lives. Amphi (both) + bio (life) = double life.
When not to use
Do not use for fully marine animals like fish or purely terrestrial scaly animals like reptiles.
Fun facts
- Many species of salamanders lack lungs entirely and breathe entirely through their thin, moist skin.
Related words
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