A small, jumping animal similar to a frog but usually with drier, bumpier skin and shorter legs. Toads often live on land and return to water to lay eggs.
From Old English 'tādige' or 'tāde,' of uncertain origin, with similar forms in other Germanic languages. It may be imitative or from a pre‑Germanic substrate word. The form has shifted but the meaning has stayed stable.
Toads and frogs are all in the same order (anurans), but 'toad' usually suggests a land‑lover with warty skin. Folktales turned these little animals into symbols of ugliness and magic—think of princes trapped in toad bodies. One squat creature soaked up a whole set of cultural meanings.
Animal terms like 'toad' have sometimes been used as insults, with 'old toad' or similar phrases applied disproportionately to women’s appearance or age. This reflects broader patterns where women’s bodies and aging were policed more harshly through animal metaphors.
Avoid using 'toad' metaphorically for people’s looks or age. Keep it literal for the animal or neutral figurative uses that don’t target a person’s body.
["person","individual","colleague"]
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