penguin

American  

[peng-gwin, pen-] / ˈpɛŋ gwɪn, ˈpɛn- /

noun

Ornithology.

• penguins
  plural

1. any of several flightless, aquatic birds of the family Spheniscidae, of the Southern Hemisphere, having webbed feet and wings reduced to flippers.

2. Obsolete. great auk.

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penguin British  

/ ˈpɛŋɡwɪn /

noun

1. any flightless marine bird, such as Aptenodytes patagonica (king penguin) and Pygoscelis adeliae ( Adélie penguin ), of the order Sphenisciformes of cool southern, esp Antarctic, regions: they have wings modified as flippers, webbed feet, and feathers lacking barbs See also emperor penguin king penguin

2. an obsolete name for great auk

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• penguins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of penguin

1570–80; origin uncertain; perhaps < Welsh pen gwyn literally, white head (referring to the great auk in its winter plumage); later misapplied to the Spheniscidae

Explanation

What's black and white and loves to eat seafood? A penguin! Penguins are flightless water birds, and the only place in the Northern Hemisphere where you'll find wild penguins is on the Galápagos Islands. If you live north of the equator, your interactions with penguins are limited to zoos and aquariums. Penguins are distinctive because of their contrasting black-and-white coloring, their size, and the fact that they walk and swim but don't fly. Their wings have, in fact, evolved to act as flippers in the water. You might think of penguins as cold-weather birds, and many do live in Antarctica, but most are found in more temperate areas.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

penguin penguins

The new arrangement has proved popular with the penguins, including 38-year-old Spneb, who is believed to be the world's oldest Humboldt penguin.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

This penguin decay is incredibly rare in the Standard Model: for every million B mesons, only one will decay in this manner.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

Our new results have been found in a study of a particular kind of process, known as an electroweak penguin decay.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

“It had an aura of roadside diner about it. … Everybody would see the giant penguin out there. I don’t think Burgess Meredith ever ate there, though.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

When Mr. Popper telephoned the City Hall to see about a license for Captain Cook, the penguin did his best to disconnect the telephone by biting the green cord.

From "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater

He said: "When I heard the penguins loved sardines but that the park thought they couldn't get them, I thought: 'Well, I might be able to help with that.'"

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

The Daily Express splashes on the same combination of Badenoch and King Charles with penguins.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Fish swim around seagrass, penguins gather above, an ice dancer twirls around them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

The pool where visitors could swim with otters and penguins was frequently bright green with algae.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

“We ought to have some seafood for him, canned shrimps or something. Or maybe he isn’t hungry yet. I’ve read that penguins can go for a month without food.”

From "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater