emperor penguin

American  

noun

1. the largest of the penguins, Aptenodytes forsteri, of the coasts of Antarctica, having bluish-gray and black plumage on the back, head, and wings, a white chest, and a patch of orange on each side of the neck.

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emperor penguin British  

noun

1. an Antarctic penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, with orange-yellow patches on the neck: the largest penguin, reaching a height of 1.3 m (4 ft)

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Etymology

Origin of emperor penguin

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

emperor penguin

More than 90 percent of emperor penguin colonies could be near-extinct by 2100 if sea ice loss persists at its current rate.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Left to fend for themselves, emperor penguin chicks must eventually take a leap into the icy ocean for their first attempt at feeding.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2025

Sea ice is also vitally important for marine life -- scientists have observed catastrophic breeding failures of emperor penguin colonies because of low sea ice in recent years.

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2024

Between 2018 and 2022, 30% of emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica were displaced by polar ice loss.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2023

An interesting incident on November 26 was the discovery of an emperor penguin rookery.

From South: the story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

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