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penguin Definition

pen·guin (peŋ′gwin, pen′-)

noun

  1. great auk
  2. any of an order (Sphenisciformes) of flightless birds found in the Southern Hemisphere, having webbed feet and paddlelike flippers for swimming and diving

Etymology: prob. < Welsh pen gwyn, lit., white head (or Bret pen gouin): ? in reference to a white headland on a N Atlantic island, near which they were found

penguin Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • kill: On one voyage Davis and his men survived by killing 14,000 penguins for the ship's larder.
  • watch: On a nice day there's no better way to spend a tea break than sat outside watching the penguins go about their business.

Adjective modifier

  • magellanic: Walk to Gypsy Cove to see Magellanic penguins at 3pm.
  • yellow-eyed: Day 4: Visiting the home of the rare Hooker sea lion and yellow-eyed penguin is today's goal.
  • comical: Learn about comical penguins, great whales, belching seals and some of the most stunning wildlife spectacles in the natural world.
  • cute: See the cute penguins then enjoy ocean views from the café on Torquay Harbourside, which serves child portions of most adult meals.
  • African: African penguins have suffered a 90 % drop in their populations during the last 100 years.

Modifies a noun

  • rookery: Day 15 Fly to Santiago, via a penguin rookery ( November - March only ).
  • Classics: Penguin Classics are publishing ten of H.G. Wells's most famous works in March 2005.
  • colony: The trip to the penguin colony was also fruitful.
  • chick: Apparently there are also fewer penguin chicks born in areas visited by tourists.
  • book: Penguin Books, New York, NY, USA: 2002.
  • nest: Another 75,000 pairs of king penguins nest at St Andrews Bay.

Noun used with modifier

  • gentoo: Then there are some rocky outcrops where the gentoo penguins seem to stay.
  • chinstrap: We saw elephant seals and chinstrap penguins that were totally unfazed by our presence.
  • macaroni: A macaroni penguin is about 55 cm, a king penguin is about a meter high.
  • rockhopper: This particular sample she is working on in the Fisheries Department in Stanley came from a rockhopper penguin on Sea Lion Island.
  • jackass: Nearby are several beaches where you may find yourself whale watching from the shore or sharing your towel with a jackass penguin.
  • emperor: An emperor penguin is even bigger - probably about your size!