salamander means A long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of the order Caudata, superficially resembling a lizard. It carries an Arena rating of 1396, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, salamander ranks #2,460 of 15,066 for Most Vivid Words, #2,585 of 15,233 for Funniest Words, #3,161 of 15,071 for Most Ingenious Words, #7,384 of 15,262 for Most Whimsical Words.
salamander is pronounced /ˈsæləˌmændə/.
Why “salamander” is a great word
A long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of the order Caudata. From Middle English salamandre, from Anglo-Norman salamandre, from Latin salamandra, from Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα (salamándra), of uncertain origin (likely Pre-Greek). Unlike a "lizard"—a scaly reptile with claws—or a "newt"—a specific, often aquatic relative—the salamander is a creature of cool, damp secrecy, its skin smooth as wet velvet. It is the living ink-blot shifting in the leaf-litter, the mythic beast said to writhe unharmed in flames, and the cold iron kitchen tool that brands a crust onto crème brûlée—a word that holds at once the animal, the elemental fiction, and the human artifact mimicking a creature’s fabled resistance to consumption.
Etymology
From Middle English salamandre, from Anglo-Norman salamandre, from Latin salamandra, from Ancient Greek σαλαμάνδρα (salamándra), of uncertain origin (per Beekes, likely Pre-Greek); possibly of Iranian origin, see Persian سمندر (samandar) for more information.
noun
- A long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of the order Caudata, superficially resembling a lizard.
- A creature much like a lizard that is resistant to and lives in fire (in which it is often depicted in heraldry), hence the elemental being of fire.e.g.““Not a chance, Ranger,” Bob Mason was speaking. “This little cuss is a salamander. He's been travelling through fire all day and there isn't a blister on him. …””
- A metal utensil with a flat head which is heated and put over a dish to brown the top.e.g.“The salamander, a fairly long metal utensil with a flat rounded head, was left in the fire until red hot and then used to brown the top of a dish without further cooking.”
- A small broiler (North America) or grill (Britain) that heats the food from above, used in professional cookery primarily for browning.e.g.“The chef first put the steak under the salamander to sear the outside.”
- A pouched gopher (Geomys pinetis etc.)
- A large poker.e.g.“Multitudes had little Tin Kettles in their Houses, with Small-coal kindled, to light their Pipes withal; though in some places they use Candles, in others Salamanders”
- Solidified material in a furnace hearth.
- A portable stove used to heat or dry buildings under construction.e.g.“The necessary fires alone — the salamanders and tinner's pots — had caused dozens of small blazes.”
- A fire-eater (performer who pretends to swallow fire).
verb
- To use a salamander (cooking utensil) in a cooking process.e.g.“When cold, sprinkle the custard thickly with sugar and salamander it.”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- hellbender 82% match — A giant salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) of North America that inhabits large, swiftly flowing streams with rocky bottoms. vs salamander →
- slowworm 81% match — A small Old World lizard, Anguis fragilis, often mistaken for a snake, having no legs and small eyes. vs salamander →
- wyvern 79% match — A draconian creature possessing wings, only two legs and usually a barbed tail. vs salamander →
- hydra 78% match — A dragon-like creature with many heads and the ability to regrow them when maimed. vs salamander →
- simian 78% match — Of or pertaining to apes and monkeys. vs salamander →
- firedrake 78% match — A fire-breathing dragon. vs salamander →
- semblance 77% match — The outward appearance or form of a person or thing. vs salamander →
- seraph 77% match — A burning serpent, often winged, with human hands and sometimes feet; one of God's entourage. On Earth, they strike with burning poison; in Heaven, with burning coal. vs salamander →