anuran: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2technical, scientific, formal
Quick answer
What does “anuran” mean?
Any amphibian of the order Anura.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Any amphibian of the order Anura; a frog or toad.
Pertaining to or characteristic of frogs and toads. In technical contexts, it refers to any member of the diverse order of tailless amphibians.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage. The term is uniformly scientific.
Connotations
None beyond its scientific precision.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both dialects. Exclusive to technical/academic writing.
Grammar
How to Use “anuran” in a Sentence
NOUN as adjective: anuran biologyAdjective modifying a noun: anuran speciesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anuran” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The word is not used as a verb.
American English
- The word is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The word is not used as an adverb.
American English
- The word is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The survey documented the anuran population in the Norfolk Broads.
American English
- The study focused on anuran reproductive behavior in the wetlands.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in biological and ecological papers, especially in zoology, herpetology, and conservation science.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound overly technical and potentially pretentious.
Technical
The primary register. Used to describe the taxonomic order or its members in scientific literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anuran”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anuran”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anuran”
- Using it in everyday conversation; mispronunciation (e.g., /ˈæn.jʊ.ræn/); using it as a verb ('to anuran').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Anuran' is the scientific term for the entire biological order that includes both frogs and toads. 'Frog' typically refers to a subset of this group.
Only in formal, scientific, or academic writing where taxonomic precision is required. In everyday language, 'frog' or 'toad' is always preferable.
Anurans (frogs, toads) are tailless as adults and have long hind legs for jumping. Salamanders and newts (caudates) retain their tails and have more lizard-like proportions.
In British English: /əˈnjʊərən/ (uh-NYOOR-uhn). In American English: /əˈnʊrən/ (uh-NOOR-uhn). The stress is on the second syllable.
Any amphibian of the order Anura.
Anuran is usually technical, scientific, formal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Anuran has 'uran' in it, like 'Uranus', but think: 'A New Ran-a' (A New Frog).
Conceptual Metaphor
Frogs/toads as MODEL ORGANISMS in science; representatives of amphibian decline.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'anuran' be most appropriately used?