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

Last month, thousands of small penguin-like birds called murres began washing up on Bay Area beaches. — John Ramos, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

The researchers estimate there were thousands of dead Adélie penguins and other species of birds. — Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026

Murres resemble penguins with dense, waterproof feathers that look like a tuxedo and function like a wetsuit — trapping a layer of air against their skin to keep them warm and dry, Boland said. — Stephanie Zappelli, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Feathers McGraw, the sinister penguin villain from the Wallace & Gromit films, also makes a Hitchcockian cameo. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026

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