[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tadpole/)

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# tadpole

noun (a tadpole, tadpoles)

«tadpole» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A tadpole is a young frog or toad that has just hatched from an egg; it lives in water, has a tail and breathes with gills. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#m1)
2. Informally, a tadpole can mean a very small child. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science, the frog life cycle is: frogspawn (eggs) → tadpole → froglet → adult frog. Tadpoles slowly grow back legs, then front legs, lose their tails and grow lungs; this change is called metamorphosis. Pond-dipping lessons often look for tadpoles. Phrases: from tadpole to frog.

### Examples

- We saw tadpoles swimming in the pond. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x1)
- A tadpole turns into a frog. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x2)
- Tadpoles breathe with gills. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x3)
- The tadpole grew back legs first. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x4)
- Frogspawn hatches into tadpoles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x5)
- We kept tadpoles in a tank at school and let them go as frogs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x6)
- Tadpoles eat tiny plants in the water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x7)
- The tadpole's tail slowly disappeared. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x8)
- Brer Possum, he got his belly full er 'simmons, en Brer Coon, he scoop up a 'bunnunce er frogs en tadpoles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/#x9)

### Note

Countable. Also called a polliwog in some parts of the USA. A tadpole is not a fish, even though it lives in water and has a tail. Metamorphosis means a big change in body shape.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tadpole» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tadpole/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tadpole» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tadpole.html) on Mova free.