newt

noun

1. any of several brilliantly colored salamanders of the family Salamandridae, especially those of the genera Triturus and Notophthalmus, of North America, Europe, and northern Asia.
2. any of various other small salamanders.

noun

1. any of various small semiaquatic urodele amphibians, such as Triturus vulgaris (common newt) of Europe, having a long slender body and tail and short feeble legs
2. mainly British any other urodele amphibian, including the salamanders

n.early 15c., misdivision of an ewte (see N for other examples), from Middle English evete (see eft).