What does tadpole mean?
A tadpole is the young, aquatic stage of a frog, beginning life as an embryo in a mass of eggs called spawn. After hatching, it has a rounded body, a long tail, and external gills that allow it to breathe underwater. As it matures, it develops legs, its lungs become functional, its tail is gradually absorbed, and it emerges from the water as a young frog. The word is especially associated with ponds, streams, and children observing the natural life cycle of frogs, although it can also refer to the tadpole stage of toads and related animals. “Tadpole” is the standard general term, while “polliwog” is a familiar or dialectal alternative. The word also serves as a memorable reminder of metamorphosis, the dramatic biological transformation through which an aquatic larva becomes a land-dwelling adult frog.
nounThe aquatic larva of a frog, hatched from an egg and typically possessing a tail and gills. As it develops, its body changes and it eventually becomes a young frog.
- The aquatic larval form of a frog, characterized by a tail and, initially, external gills.
"A tadpole wriggled beneath the lily pads at the edge of the pond."
"The children watched the tadpoles wiggle in the shallow water."
"The pond was teeming with tadpoles in their newly hatched stage."
The standard plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several tadpoles hid among the submerged leaves."
Before becoming a frog, a tadpole rebuilds its body from the inside out, replacing gills with lungs and absorbing its tail.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tadpole come from?
“Tadpole” is a compound formed from “tad” and “pole,” with “pole” referring to the larval animal's prominent tail. The precise origin of “tad” is uncertain, although it may have developed as a diminutive or in imitation of a young animal’s movements. The resulting compound has long been used in English for the larval stage of a frog.
How tadpole is actually used
The term is primarily descriptive and is especially common in educational and nature-related contexts. In some regional dialects, “polliwog” is also used, though the spelling varies.
Easily confused with tadpole
A tadpole is the aquatic, typically tailed larval stage of a frog, whereas a froglet is a young frog that has already undergone metamorphosis and begun living on land.