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

Penguin processes are uniquely sensitive to the effects of potentially very heavy new particles that cannot be created directly at the LHC.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

The joke takes me a beat before landing; my version of Batman’s Penguin will always be Danny DeVito.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Penguin Random House and Fletcher did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Penguin Random House owner Bertelsmann is combining its music arm with U.S.-based independent label Concord, marking the latest in a string of deals by the German media conglomerate to amplify its scale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

And they saw the Penguin come dancing by, waving his short wings and singing lustily.

From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers