puffin

American  

[puhf-in] / ˈpʌf ɪn /

noun

1. any of several alcidine sea birds of the genera Fratercula and Lunda, having a short neck and a large, compressed, grooved bill, as F. arctica Atlantic puffin, of the North Atlantic.

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puffin British  

/ ˈpʌfɪn /

noun

1. any of various northern diving birds of the family Alcidae (auks, etc), esp Fratercula arctica ( common or Atlantic puffin ), having a black-and-white plumage and a brightly coloured vertically flattened bill: order Charadriiformes

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Etymology

Origin of puffin

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English poffoun, poffin, puffon (compare Anglo-Latin poffo, puffo ); origin uncertain

Explanation

A puffin is a black and white seabird with a bright orange beak and matching feet. Most puffins live in the northernmost parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Puffins belong to the family of birds known as auks. While puffins' coloring, proximity to the ocean, and fondness for fish make them similar to penguins, the two birds have some major differences. Penguins, which don't fly, have heavy bones that help them swim. Puffins, on the other hand, have hollow bones that assist them in soaring through the air. And while penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, puffins are only found in the Northern Hemisphere.

Example Sentences

Leighton Newman, Skomer Island Warden for WTSWW, said: "After the tragic number of seabirds washing up on beaches across southern Europe earlier this year... it's a very pleasant surprise to see the puffin population thriving."

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

That included investment in products to help teachers with administrative tasks, an automated mapping system to monitor puffin populations using drones, and software to identify toxins which could give firefighters cancer.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

They added that the puffin started to "look brighter" after being "dried and rehydrated" and would be ready to return to the wild in the near future.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

The puffin was later collected by the wildlife experts who told her it was skinny and was likely to have been struggling a while.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

In the recorded annals of puffin military campaigns, never did a puffin march into battle with such dignified grit.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el