penguin

American  

[peng-gwin, pen-] / ˈpɛŋ gwɪn, ˈpɛn- /

noun

Ornithology.

1. any of several flightless, aquatic birds of the family Spheniscidae, of the Southern Hemisphere, having webbed feet and wings reduced to flippers.

2. Obsolete. great auk.

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penguin British  

/ ˈpɛŋɡwɪn /

noun

1. any flightless marine bird, such as Aptenodytes patagonica (king penguin) and Pygoscelis adeliae ( Adélie penguin ), of the order Sphenisciformes of cool southern, esp Antarctic, regions: they have wings modified as flippers, webbed feet, and feathers lacking barbs See also emperor penguin king penguin

2. an obsolete name for great auk

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Etymology

Origin of penguin

1570–80; origin uncertain; perhaps < Welsh pen gwyn literally, white head (referring to the great auk in its winter plumage); later misapplied to the Spheniscidae

Explanation

What's black and white and loves to eat seafood? A penguin! Penguins are flightless water birds, and the only place in the Northern Hemisphere where you'll find wild penguins is on the Galápagos Islands. If you live north of the equator, your interactions with penguins are limited to zoos and aquariums. Penguins are distinctive because of their contrasting black-and-white coloring, their size, and the fact that they walk and swim but don't fly. Their wings have, in fact, evolved to act as flippers in the water. You might think of penguins as cold-weather birds, and many do live in Antarctica, but most are found in more temperate areas.

Example Sentences

Julie Edwards grew worried when her daughter began coming home from kindergarten talking about “JiJi,” the penguin who stars in an app on her school-issued iPad.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

What do you make of the scene from “Encounters at the End of the World” going viral, with people using the image of a penguin walking away from its colony as a symbol of nonconformity?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Because breeding success and juvenile mortality play such a critical role in population stability, the researchers emphasize the need to better understand how environmental conditions affect penguin reproduction.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2026

With more ice rain forecast, the German Weather Service meanwhile has advised pedestrians to keep safe by wearing non-slip shoes and adopting a "penguin walk" with small steps.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

The penguin jumped up onto a chair and from there onto the edge of the table, flapping his flippers again to recover his balance.

From "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Florence Atwater and Richard Atwater