penguin

noun

pen·​guin ˈpen-gwən How to pronounce penguin (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The zoo plans to announce the winning penguin name on July 21. Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 16 July 2025 Macaroni penguins are natural swimmers, spending much of the year at sea and returning to land only to breed and molt. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 Others are experimenting with new polymer aerogel materials based on penguin feathers that could have applications for building insulation and climate control, showing the wide variety of applications that can be based on one particularly specialized group of birds. Ian Rose, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 June 2025 This erratic approach has already led to outcomes that are plainly ridiculous, such as the administration’s punitive tariffs on the Heard and McDonald Islands, which are inhabited largely by penguins. Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for penguin

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of penguin was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Penguin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penguin. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

penguin

noun
pen·​guin ˈpen-gwən How to pronounce penguin (audio)
ˈpeŋ-
: any of various short-legged seabirds of the southern hemisphere that cannot fly and have wings functioning as flippers and used in swimming

More from Merriam-Webster on penguin

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