amphibian
amphibian — adjective
1. describing the group of cold-blooded animals, including frogs and salamanders, t
describing the group of cold-blooded animals, including frogs and salamanders, that begin life in water and later move onto land.
Hadiya took a class about amphibian eggs at the aquarium last weekend.
amphibian + noun (technical)
The biology teacher showed photos of three different amphibian species from Costa Rica.
Pollution in the pond caused a sharp drop in amphibian numbers.
Dr. Theo studies amphibian skin and how it absorbs water.
文法句型
amphibian + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (amphibian eggs, amphibian skin, amphibian species). Distinguish from sense 2 by the noun it modifies — biological terms here, vehicles or aircraft in sense 2.
2. describing a vehicle or aircraft built to travel across land and through water,
describing a vehicle or aircraft built to travel across land and through water, and sometimes also to fly.
The army demonstrated a new amphibian tank that crossed the river without slowing down.
amphibian + vehicle noun
Tourists boarded an amphibian bus that drove straight from the street into the harbour.
Rescue teams used an amphibian aircraft to reach villages cut off by the flood.
Bao repaired the engine of a small amphibian boat at the dock.
- amphibious
more common adjective form for vehicles and military operations
文法句型
amphibian + vehicle/aircraft/tank
用法筆記
More commonly written 'amphibious' in modern English; 'amphibian' as an adjective for machines is rarer and slightly older-sounding. Distinguish from sense 1 by context — a machine or craft, never a living animal.
amphibian — noun
1. a cold-blooded animal with smooth, scaleless skin (frogs, toads, newts, and sala
a cold-blooded animal with smooth, scaleless skin (frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders are typical examples) that hatches from eggs laid in water and later lives partly on dry ground.
Citlali found a small green amphibian hiding under a wet leaf in the garden.
Frogs, toads, and newts are the amphibians most often seen in British ponds.
typical examples listed (frog / toad / newt)
Many amphibians breathe partly through their skin, so dry weather can harm them.
The zoo's new exhibit holds over twenty species of amphibian from South America.
Dr. Rivera counted only twelve amphibians during her three-day survey of the Costa Rican cloud forest.
- reptile
scaly cold-blooded animals that lay eggs on land, not in water
用法筆記
Object of study in biology and conservation; subject is often the animal itself or a researcher. Distinguish from sense 2 by living/non-living — sense 1 is always a real organism, sense 2 is a machine.
常見錯誤
2. a vehicle, boat, or plane built to travel across the ground as well as through w
a vehicle, boat, or plane built to travel across the ground as well as through water — for example, a flat-bottomed truck used by soldiers, or a small plane that can touch down on a lake.
The marines drove an amphibian onto the beach during the morning training drill.
military context for amphibian (vehicle)
Dilnoza pilots an amphibian that delivers supplies to small lakeside towns in Alaska.
amphibian as small aircraft
Two amphibians rolled out of the landing craft and headed for the shore.
Engineers tested the new amphibian on a muddy riverbank near the base.
- amphibious vehicle
longer, more explicit phrase preferred in everyday writing
用法筆記
Most often appears in military or aviation writing. Distinguish from sense 1 by context — passengers, engines, or military operations make this sense unmistakable.