salamander

C2 Topic:Animals

US /ˈsæləˌmændɚ/ UK /ˈsæləˌmændə/ See IPA manual

Freq #25743

Meanings

1

noun
a long-bodied amphibian with a tail and short legs, superficially resembling a lizard

A spotted salamander emerged from beneath the damp log.
2

noun
in legend, a lizard-like creature believed able to live in or withstand fire

The old emblem showed a salamander standing unharmed among the flames.
3

noun
a metal implement heated in a fire and used for warming, cooking, or browning

The cook heated the iron salamander before browning the surface of the dish.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a long-bodied amphibian... tailed amphibiannewt

2 noun · in legend, a lizard-like... fire spiritmythical salamander

3 noun · a metal implement heated in... fire ironpoker

Word family

Forms salamanders

Derived forms salamanderlikesalamandrine

Related forms newt amphibianCaudatafire spirit

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English salamandre, through Anglo-Norman and Latin from Greek salamandra, a word of uncertain origin. Ancient and medieval legend credited salamanders with surviving or extinguishing fire, which produced the mythical sense; the zoological name was transferred to the real amphibian.

Topics

Animals

External links

# salamander

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsæləˌmændɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsæləˌmændə/
**Frequency rank:** 25743

## Meanings
1. a long-bodied amphibian with a tail and short legs, superficially resembling a lizard
2. in legend, a lizard-like creature believed able to live in or withstand fire
3. a metal implement heated in a fire and used for warming, cooking, or browning

## Examples
- A spotted salamander emerged from beneath the damp log.
- The old emblem showed a salamander standing unharmed among the flames.
- The cook heated the iron salamander before browning the surface of the dish.

## Synonyms
- tailed amphibian
- newt
- fire spirit
- fire iron

## Derived Forms
- salamanderlike
- salamandrine

## Related Forms
- newt
- amphibian
- Caudata
- fire spirit

## Etymology
From Middle English salamandre, through Anglo-Norman and Latin from Greek salamandra, a word of uncertain origin. Ancient and medieval legend credited salamanders with surviving or extinguishing fire, which produced the mythical sense; the zoological name was transferred to the real amphibian.

## Topics
- Animals

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