salamander

[ sal-uh-man-der ]
See synonyms for salamander on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. any tailed amphibian of the order Caudata, having a soft, moist, scaleless skin, typically aquatic as a larva and semiterrestrial as an adult: several species are endangered.

  2. a mythical being, especially a lizard or other reptile, thought to be able to live in fire.

  1. any of various portable stoves or burners.

  2. Metallurgy. a mass of iron that accumulates at the bottom of a blast furnace as a result of the escape of molten metal through the hearth.

  3. a metal plate or disk with a handle, heated and held over pastry, casserole crusts, etc., to brown or glaze it.

  4. an oven usually heated from the top and bottom by gas, for cooking, browning, and glazing food.

Origin of salamander

1
1300–50; Middle English salamandre from Latin salamandra from Greek salamándrā

synonym study For salamander

2. See sylph.

Other words from salamander

  • sal·a·man·der·like, adjective
  • sal·a·man·drine [sal-uh-man-drin], /ˌsæl əˈmæn drɪn/, adjective
  • sal·a·man·droid, adjective

Words Nearby salamander

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use salamander in a sentence

  • The woman reminds one of a red lizard—a salamander—her “svelte” body seemingly boneless in its gown of clinging scales.

    The Real Latin Quarter | F. Berkeley Smith
  • Sprinkle grated breadcrumbs over, brown with a salamander, and serve with brown gravy.

    Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode | Harriet A. de Salis
  • Any lizard attracted by my hoecake would have to be a salamander—that fire-proof creature that is supposed to live in flames.

    The Iron Puddler | James J. Davis
  • Cutts made his attack on Blenheim with all the fury which earned for him the nickname of the salamander.

    Battles of English History | H. B. (Hereford Brooke) George
  • This yellow man did no mopping; his skin had the gloss of a salamander's, and his eyes were like dusky jewels.

British Dictionary definitions for salamander

salamander

/ (ˈsæləˌmændə) /


noun
  1. any of various urodele amphibians, such as Salamandra salamandra (European fire salamander) of central and S Europe (family Salamandridae). They are typically terrestrial, have an elongated body, and only return to water to breed

  2. mainly US and Canadian any urodele amphibian

  1. a mythical reptile supposed to live in fire

  2. an elemental fire-inhabiting being

  3. any person or thing able to exist in fire or great heat

  4. metallurgy a residue of metal and slag deposited on the walls of a furnace

  5. a portable stove used to dry out a building under construction

Origin of salamander

1
C14: from Old French salamandre, from Latin salamandra, from Greek

Derived forms of salamander

  • salamandrine (ˌsæləˈmændrɪn), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012