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

There’s no denying it: Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) are adorable. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Standing more than 4 feet tall, the massive bird is the largest penguin in the world, uniquely adapted to survive in the barren Antarctic. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025

Courtesy of Netflix Every day, the world seems to be slipping further and further into dystopia, with President Donald Trump placing tariffs on islands inhabited by penguins and the country's head of Medicare and Medicaid touting AI-first health care. —Corey Atad, Wired News, 11 Apr. 2025

Also baffling were the tariffs placed on Heard and McDonald Islands, which are mainly populated by penguins. —Time, 10 Apr. 2025

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