Polliwog

Word of the Day for Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Polliwog \POL-ee-wog\, noun:

a tadpole.

“Why, less than nothing, my furry polliwog!” chugged the frog, amused.
-- Tad Williams, Tailchaser's Song, 2000

She had begun life as a polliwog in the womb. She remembered the lesson in school again before she had quit.
-- Diane Glancy, Trigger Dance, 1990

Polliwog was originally a combination of the words poll and wiggle. The word poll referred to a head. With the association of the verb wiggle, the portmanteau closely describes the shape and behaviour of a polliwog.

Thanks to: www.dictionary.com