rockhopper

noun

rock·​hop·​per ˈräk-ˌhä-pər How to pronounce rockhopper (audio)
: a small penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) with a short thick bill and a yellow crest

Examples of rockhopper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The penguin couple are the parents of the first rockhopper chick born at the Shedd in eight years, the aquarium said Tuesday. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2023 Grandjean, an enthusiastic bird-watcher with the extravagant eyebrows of a rockhopper penguin, had fond memories of banding storm petrels in the Faroes in his late teens and was familiar with the grindadráp. Kim Tingley, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023 The southern rockhopper chick (right) stood with an adult. Talia Lissauer, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2023 The birth comes amid a special emphasis the aquarium placed this year on breeding rockhopper penguins. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2023 The 2011 oil spill, for example, galvanized the community to rescue thousands of seabirds, including hundreds of endangered rockhopper penguins. Sasha Chapman, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2023 Meyer Group, however, says the design was inspired by the aerodynamics of a rockhopper penguin. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2023 The latter was part of the longevity recipe for Wellington, Shedd Aquarium’s oldest and best known rockhopper penguin, which will mark that milestone birthday Friday as guest of honor at an 8:30 a.m. Facebook Live event put on by the aquarium. Steve Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 17 Dec. 2020 However, depending on the species, some penguins can live in warmer climates, such as the Galápagos penguin, Humboldt penguins and Southern rockhopper penguins. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rockhopper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rockhopper was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near rockhopper

Cite this Entry

“Rockhopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rockhopper. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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