Spadefoot
/ˈspeɪdˌfʊt/noun
A burrowing toad or frog with a hard, spade-like projection on each hind foot used for digging.
Did you know?The name is purely descriptive: these amphibians have a hardened, keratinous tubercle on the hind foot that acts like a tiny shovel for burrowing, not a magical symbol—though it definitely sounds like one.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
spadu
“A spade or digging tool.”
Old English
OE
fōt
“Foot.”
Middle English
English
spadefot
“A foot shaped like or used as a spade, later applied to burrowing amphibians.”
19th Century
English
spadefoot
“A common English compound name for certain burrowing frogs and toads with spade-like hind feet.”
Modern English
English
spadefoot
“Any of several burrowing amphibians with a spade-like projection on the hind foot.”
Explore more surprising origins