Meaning & use
amphibian
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Meanings
nouncountable
A cold-blooded animal with moist skin that usually lays eggs in water and lives both in water and on land.
Grammar: Countable; use a/an or the plural: an amphibian, many amphibians.
Patterns
- an amphibian species
- amphibians in a pond
Frogs and salamanders are common amphibians.
The pond is home to several kinds of amphibian.
Amphibians need water to breed, so they are sensitive to drought.
nouncountabletechnical
A vehicle that can travel on both land and water.
Grammar: Countable; often used in military or technical contexts.
Patterns
- a military amphibian
- an amphibian vehicle
The army used an amphibian to cross the river.
This amphibian can drive straight from the road into the lake.
Engineers tested the amphibian on both sand and water.
Word forms
| plural | amphibians |
|---|
Common combinations
- amphibian species
- Scientists discovered a new amphibian species in the rainforest.
- amphibian population
- The amphibian population has fallen sharply in recent years.
- amphibian habitat
- Wetlands provide a vital amphibian habitat.
- amphibian decline
- Pollution is a major cause of amphibian decline.
Word family
- amphibious adjective
- Describes animals or vehicles that can operate on both land and water.
- amphibiously adverb
- In a way that involves both land and water; rare.
Commonly confused: amphibian or amphibious? amphibian or reptile?
amphibian vs amphibious
Amphibious is an adjective (amphibious vehicle), while amphibian is usually a noun for the animal.
amphibian vs reptile
Reptiles have dry, scaly skin and lay eggs on land, while amphibians have moist skin and usually need water to breed.
Practice
Frogs, toads, and salamanders are all examples of ______.
Choose one answer.
Amphibians live both in water and on land and have moist skin. Reptiles have dry scales, mammals have fur and feed their young milk, and insects have six legs, so those do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “amphibian”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.