1. tadpoles; the larval stage of frogs and toads that live in water and have tails
Usage: informal; chiefly American
2. sailors who have not yet crossed the equator
Usage: nautical; informal

Examples

• The children watched pollywogs swimming in the pond.
• We caught several pollywogs in our net during the nature walk.
• The pollywogs will eventually grow legs and lose their tails.
• In spring, the shallow water was full of tiny pollywogs.
• The new sailors were called pollywogs until they crossed the equator.
• The pollywogs had to participate in the crossing-the-line ceremony.