batrachian

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English

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Etymology

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From New Latin Batrachia, former name of the zoological order Anura, from Ancient Greek βατράχεια (batrákheia), neuter plural of adjective from βάτραχος (bátrakhos, frog).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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batrachian (plural batrachians)

  1. (rare) A frog or toad.
    • 1976, Kyril Bonfiglioli, Something Nasty in the Woodshed, Penguin, published 2001, page 421:
      The warmth of his defence of the toad led me to suspect uneasily that a close search of his quarters would pretty certainly reveal a comfortable vivarium somewhere, bursting with the little batrachians.

Adjective

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batrachian (comparative more batrachian, superlative most batrachian)

  1. Pertaining to or resembling a frog or toad.
    • 1905, Eugene Field, Songs And Other Verses:
      Anon the minnow-bucket will emit '"batrachian"' sobs.
    • 1939, Henry Miller, Tropic of Capricorn, Grove Press, published 1962, page 31:
      At this Lena smiled again with that mirthless batrachian grin.
    • 1965, John Fowles, The Magus:
      His batrachian lips pursed into a smile, and he dug again into the honey.
    • 2000 The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, "The Innsmouth Look"
      I dig her batrachian lips / Her bulbous eyes and scaly hips

Synonyms

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Hypernyms

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Hyponyms

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See also

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