: the mating embrace of some amphibians (such as frogs and toads) in which the male typically takes a position on the back of the female and tightly grasps onto the female with his front legs Frogs mate in a position called amplexus , with the smaller male clasping the female from behind in a ride that can last two days or more. As she lays eggs, he expels sperm to fertilize them. — Mel White