Salamanders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Cold-blooded amphibians resembling lizards, known for their moist skin and ability to regenerate lost limbs
2. Small, slender animals living both in water and on land, often with bright colors or spots
3. Creatures of the amphibian group that typically have elongated bodies, tails, and smooth skin

Etymology: The fire-lizard of legend came first, and the amphibian second. In Ancient Greek, "salamándra" named a creature that was thought to live in flames, and the idea was so persistent that the animal's name became a standing image of fire-resistance. The Greek word's origin is unclear; scholars often assign it to a pre-Greek language, and some propose an Iranian source, related to Persian "samandar," though neither link is settled. The name passed into Latin as "salamandra," then into Anglo-Norman and Middle English as "salamandre," and it was applied to the small, damp-skinned amphibians we now call salamanders only later, once people had a reason to match the name to the animal. The mythic creature stayed in the word's sense, which is why the plural refers to a real animal while carrying the legend of a fire-dweller.

Synonyms: amphibians, newts, lizards, reptiles, frogs