tadpole

From Middle English tadpolle, taddepol, equivalent to toad +‎ poll (“head”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtædpoʊl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ædpoʊl

tadpole (plural tadpoles)

1. A young toad or frog in its larval stage of development that lives in water, has a tail and no legs, and, like a fish, breathes through gills.
2. (by extension) The aquatic larva of any amphibian.

   salamander tadpole

3. A type of cargo bike that has two wheels in front and one in back.
4. (psychology) A child's basic drawing of a human being, having a detailed head but only sticks for the body and limbs.
5. (informal) A small child.
   • 1970, Dorothy Clarke Wilson, Lone Woman, page 174:

     Shouldn't you tadpoles be in bed?

6. (informal, derogatory) An insignificant person.
   • 1900 August 4, The Geelong Advertiser, Victoria, page 6, column 7:

     Woman's voice: You impudent imp! You tadpole! You shrimp!

   • 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 142:

     “[H]ere's this Tooralooral tadpole of a Mayor shovin' his nose into the business and arrestin' our Puddin' without rhyme or reason.”

• (toad or frog larva): polliwog, porriwiggle

• pot lead