One entry found for tadpole. Main Entry: tad·pole
Pronunciation:
tad-
p
lFunction: noun
Etymology: Middle English taddepol "tadpole," from tode "toad" and polle "head"
: the larva of a frog or toad that has a rounded body and a long tail, breathes with gills, and lives in water -- called also pollywog
Word History A young tadpole looks like a large head with a tail. In time it will develop back legs and then front legs. Finally it will lose its tail and become a toad or a frog. Our word for this immature form of a toad or frog comes from Middle English taddepol. This word was a combination of two others, tode, meaning "toad," and polle, meaning "head."
[tadpole illustration]
Pronunciation Symbols