penguin

noun

pen·​guin ˈpen-gwən 

ˈpeŋ-

: any of various erect short-legged flightless aquatic birds (family Spheniscidae) of the southern hemisphere

Examples of penguin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

December and January see throngs of orcas and humpbacks arriving and penguin chicks hatching. —Kerry Spencer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Dec. 2024

So, my 18-day stint in March was at the tail end of the season (the best time to see penguin chicks is the middle of the Antarctic tourism season, late January through February) and filled with whales, molting penguins soon to migrate north, flocks of birds, and ample seals. —Dalton Johnson, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024

The surprise inside the mug is drawings of penguins. —Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Nov. 2024

At first, Biddulph didn’t know what to call the penguin—or whether to name him at all. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

obsolete English penguin great auk, perhaps from Welsh pen gwyn white head (applied to the bird in winter plumage)

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing penguin

• Adélie penguin
• chinstrap penguin
• emperor penguin
• gentoo penguin
• king penguin
• macaroni penguin
• Magellanic penguin

Kids Definition

penguin

noun

pen·​guin ˈpen-gwən 

ˈpeŋ-

: any of various short-legged seabirds of the southern hemisphere that cannot fly and have wings functioning as flippers and used in swimming