amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfi-bē-ən 

1

: an amphibious organism

especially : any of a class (Amphibia) of cold-blooded vertebrates (such as frogs, toads, or salamanders) intermediate in many characters between fish and reptiles and having gilled aquatic larvae and air-breathing adults

Unlike reptiles, most amphibians possess a smooth, moist skin and lay their shell-less eggs in water or wet places.

—Jeffrey P. Cohn

2

: an amphibious vehicle

especially : an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective

Examples of amphibian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The competition was open to all photographers who were invited to submit up to three images in one of nine categories covering mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects. —Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

This ability, known as photoluminescence, has been observed elsewhere in the animal kingdom, including in some swell sharks, fish, and amphibians. —Byrodrigo Pérez Ortega, science.org, 14 Aug. 2024

In addition to the primates and bats, the museum holds exquisite fossils of fish, caimans, giant turtles, plants, dolphins, birds, and amphibians. —Byrodrigo Pérez Ortega, science.org, 17 July 2024

These ancient creatures, also known as stem tetrapods, were the common ancestors of modern reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds. —Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 11 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Amphibia, taxon including frogs and salamanders (from neuter plural of amphibius amphibious) + -an entry 1

Note: As a taxon Amphibia was used as a class name already by linnaeus (Systema naturae, 10. editio, 1758, p. 196 et passim), but in a sense that included both amphibians and some reptiles. Limitation of the taxon to approximately its current meaning dates from Thomas Gray's "A Synopsis of the Genera of Reptiles and Amphibia" (Annals of Philosophy, new series vol. 10, July-December, 1825, pp.193-217) according to Darrel R. Frost, et al., "The Amphibian Tree of Life," Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, No. 297 (2006), p. 355. The use of both English amphibian and Latin amphibius with varying gender and number to refer to animals living on both land and sea (and in figurative senses) can be found much earlier.

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

amphibian

noun

am·​phib·​i·​an am-ˈfib-ē-ən 

1

: any organism that is able to live both on land and in water

especially : any of a class of cold-blooded vertebrate animals (as frogs and salamanders) that in many respects are between fishes and reptiles

2

: an airplane designed to take off from and land on either land or water

amphibian adjective