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

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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

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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

This research and satellite imagery suggested that - between 2011 and 2025 - the number of occupied chinstrap penguin nests declined by 63%.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Another species of penguin, the macaroni, also nests on the island and is thriving, which scientists believe is linked to their more varied diet.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Ice loss in Antarctica, meanwhile, is threatening penguin populations on the frozen continent.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Seventeen other penguin species live across the Southern Hemisphere, and many inhabit isolated islands that are difficult for scientists to reach and study.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

When he came up again, Mr. Popper had a brush and a small paint-can in his hands, while the penguin had a white CAPT.

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

It focuses on large animal conservation, and counts species including lions, meerkats, lemurs, African penguins and sea lions among its residents.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

According to the study, there were 63% fewer occuplied nests of chinstrap penguins in 2025 than at the same time in 2011.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

In April, emperor penguins were upgraded from "near threatened" to "endangered" by the IUCN, the global authority on threatened wildlife.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Record-low Antarctic sea ice in 2022 coincided with the first-ever recorded large-scale breeding failure of emperor penguins, the report said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

It had been decided that Mr. Popper should ride in the baggage car with the penguins to keep them from getting nervous, while Mrs. Popper and the children should ride in one of the Pullmans.

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

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