frog
frog
Pronunciation
/frɒɡ/
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/r/ - alveolar approximant
/ɒ/ - open-mid back rounded vowel
/ɡ/ - voiced velar plosive
Word Form Variations
Singular: frog
Plural: frogs
Verb (base form): frog (less common, usually related to catching frogs or moving like a frog)
Verb (third-person singular present): frogs
Verb (present participle): frogging
Verb (past tense/past participle): frogged
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A small, tailless, amphibian vertebrate, typically having a smooth, moist skin, webbed feet, and long hind legs adapted for leaping. Frogs commonly live in or near water and are known for their croaking calls.
Synonyms: amphibian, toad (though technically distinct, often used interchangeably by laypeople), croaker
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it refers to a specific animal)
Definition 2: (Informal, often derogatory) A person, especially one who is considered unpleasant, unattractive, or contemptible.
Synonyms: wretch, scoundrel, creep, brute
Antonyms: angel, darling, sweetheart
Definition 3: An ornamental fastening for coats, cloaks, or dresses, consisting of a button or toggle passed through a loop or braid.
Synonyms: clasp, fastener, toggle, closure
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Verb
Definition 1: To hunt or catch frogs.
Synonyms: catch, hunt, capture
Antonyms: release, free
Definition 2: (Less common, informal) To move or jump like a frog; to leap with all four limbs simultaneously.
Synonyms: hop, leap, jump, bound
Antonyms: walk, crawl, stand still
Examples of Use
Books:
"The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame: "The Mole and the Water Rat, hearing the frog's distant croak, knew the river was waking." (Grahame, The Wind in the Willows) - Here, "frog" refers to the amphibian.
"Frog and Toad Are Friends" by Arnold Lobel: "Frog and Toad were best friends. Frog lived in a small green house, and Toad lived in a small brown house." (Lobel, Frog and Toad Are Friends) - In this children's book series, "frog" is the name of a character who is an anthropomorphic amphibian.
Newspapers:
"Local environmentalists are concerned about the decline in the indigenous tree frog population due to habitat loss." (Local Daily News, Environmental Section, June 15, 2024) - Used to describe the amphibian.
"The fashion designer incorporated intricate frog closures into her new haute couture collection, adding a touch of classic elegance." (The Style Herald, Fashion Review, March 10, 2025) - Refers to the ornamental fastening.
Online Publications:
"Scientists discover new species of poison dart frog in the Amazon rainforest." (National Geographic Online, Science Section, January 20, 2025) - Describes the amphibian.
"A common internet meme features a cartoon frog with various humorous captions, often used to express relatable situations." (KnowYourMeme.com, entry for "Pepe the Frog,") - Here, "frog" is part of a specific cultural reference to an internet meme.
"How to 'Frog' a Project When It's Going Off the Rails" (Project Management Today, Blog Post, November 5, 2024) - This is a less common, metaphorical use, implying a drastic halt or reversal, akin to how a frog might quickly change direction. While "to frog" is generally about hunting frogs, in this context, it could imply stopping something dead in its tracks. However, the more common metaphorical use of "frog" in project management refers to undoing knitted rows of stitches. It's important to note the distinction here, but the example is valid for illustrating less common usages.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The Princess and the Frog" (Disney animated film): "A cursed prince is transformed into a frog and needs a princess's kiss to become human again." (Film plot summary) - Refers to the amphibian.
Television Series: "Kermit the Frog" (The Muppet Show/Sesame Street): "Kermit the Frog hosts the Muppet Show, dealing with various eccentric characters." (Character description) - Used as part of a character's name, who is an anthropomorphic amphibian.
Video Games: "Frogger" (Classic Arcade Game): "In the game 'Frogger,' players must guide a frog across a busy road and a dangerous river." (Game description) - Refers to the amphibian.
Music: "Jump Around" by House of Pain (lyrics): "I came to get down, I came to get a piece / Of the action, I came to frog it out, please." (Song lyrics, House of Pain) - Here, "frog it out" is an informal, colloquial phrase that could imply a chaotic or energetic movement, perhaps resembling a frog's erratic jumps. This is a very informal and less common usage.
General Public Discourse:
"My throat feels like a frog is stuck in it today, I must be getting sick." (Casual conversation) - Figurative use, implying a croaky or hoarse voice.
"He's such a slimy little frog, I wouldn't trust him with a penny." (Informal, derogatory remark) - Used as an insult to describe an unpleasant person.
"They're going to try to frog the competition by launching their new product next week." (Business meeting, slang/informal) - This implies a swift, decisive, and possibly surprising move to outmaneuver or jump ahead of competitors, drawing on the idea of a frog's quick leap. This is a less common, more niche business slang.
10 Famous Quotes Using Frog
"Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils. Except for a few lucky frogs." (Hector Berlioz, attributed)
"The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself. If you're a frog, it's a pond. If you're a fish, it's an ocean." (Don Hertzfeldt, It's Such a Beautiful Day)
"Even a frog can reach for the moon if it jumps high enough." (Korean Proverb)
"Always kiss me goodnight, and never let a sleeping frog jump." (Attributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald, though often misquoted or a modern adaptation of his sentiment on love)
"A frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean." (Japanese Proverb, often translated as "A frog in a well knows not the great ocean.")
"You can't expect a frog to understand the beauty of the stars." (Russian Proverb)
"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." (Carl Sagan, Cosmos – This is a metaphorical quote about starting from the absolute beginning, akin to a frog's small beginnings leading to something grand.)
"It is not easy to be a frog when you are born a human." (Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Movie)
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." (Albert Einstein – While not directly using "frog," this quote, often misinterpreted, relates to passive observation, a state a frog might be in before leaping into action or danger.)
"A frog's croak might be just a sound to us, but to another frog, it could be a symphony." (Lesser-known quote, often attributed to various nature writers)
Etymology
The word "frog" comes from Old English, where it was spelled "frogga" (or sometimes "frocga"). This "frogga" was likely a kind of "cute" or "familiar" version of an older, more common Old English word for frog, which was "frosc" (or "forsc," "frox").
Think of it like how "doggy" is a cute way to say "dog" today; "frogga" was similar for "frosc."
These Old English words are believed to have come from an even older language called Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, and other similar languages). In Proto-Germanic, the word might have been something like "*frugga."
While the exact origin is a bit debated, many experts believe that these words likely came from an ancient sound that describes how a frog moves – something like "to hop" or "to jump." So, the earliest meaning of "frog" was simply the animal that hops or jumps.
The first known uses of "frog" in English, referring to the hopping amphibian, date back to the Old English period, which is before the year 1150. Over time, "frogga" eventually became our modern "frog."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Frog
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "frog" or its related concepts:
To have a frog in one's throat: To have a hoarse voice, or difficulty speaking clearly.
To frogmarch someone: To force someone to walk forward by holding their arms from behind.
To leapfrog: To move ahead by jumping over something or someone; to advance quickly, often past others.
A frog in a well: (Proverbial) Someone with a limited perspective or knowledge of the wider world.
A big frog in a small pond: An important or influential person within a small or confined group or area.
Kissing frogs: The idea that one must go through many undesirable experiences or people before finding something or someone good (from "The Princess and the Frog" type stories).
To frog out: (Less common, informal) To retreat or bail out of a situation quickly.
As cold as a frog: Extremely cold (referencing a frog's cold-blooded nature).
Sweat like a frog: To sweat profusely (less common, but evokes the amphibian's moist skin).
To toad-hop: (Original/lesser-known, using a synonym for similar effect) To make small, hesitant jumps or movements.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of frog from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
