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

Puffin Drinkwear – Not every gift has to be big or expensive, some are just silly, and that’s exactly what’s needed.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

On Wednesday Puffin Books confirmed the website had once been owned by Cope but had been taken over.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

Puffin chicks similarly suffer from the erratic weather, with intensified storms drowning their nests and taken a deadly toll on seabirds in numerous other ways.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2024

Kay's Incredible Inventions, published by Puffin, is out in hardback on 14 November.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2023

But I still couldn’t get that left foot of the Large-Billed Puffin right.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt