puffin Hear it!

puffin Definition

puf·fin (pufin)

noun

any of various northern alcidine shorebirds (esp. genus Fratercula) black above and white below, with a short neck, ducklike body, and a large, brightly colored, triangular beak

Etymology: ME poffin < ? assoc. by folk etym. with puff, because of the enormous beak or blown-up appearance of the young

puffin Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • watch: Watch the puffins nesting on Bass Rock and the sun rising over the Firth of Tay.
  • see: Or why not take a minibus tour to see the puffins or a cruise to see the local dolphins?
  • include: The islands also abound with a wide variety of sea birds including puffins.
  • find: Found puffin, eventually, who called me a geek for wanting to see Star Wars.
  • eat: My father in his defense wishes it pointed out that he only ate the puffin because it was the cheapest item on the menu.
  • spot: You may be lucky enough to spend virtually the whole trip surrounded by dolphins cavorting beside you and also spot some puffins.

Preposition: on

  • cliff: Trip includes a short walk to see puffins on spectacular cliffs.

Adjective modifier

  • few: However there were few puffins in evidence probably they were out at sea looking for sandeels for their young.
  • first: We then had to catch a boat over to the island & I saw my first puffin.
  • new: Existing Ryder Street pedestrian subway closed with alternative route via new surface PUFFIN crossing on James Watt Queensway.
  • colorful: And don't forget the colorful puffins and sea ducks - they're all at home in this unique environment.
  • young: By August, the young puffins have left the cliffs to spend the winter on the North Sea.
  • little: Although no cetacean was sighted, we saw many sea-birds ( even the little cute puffins ) and seals.

Modifies a noun

  • crossing: Puffin crossings are an updated version of a Pelican Crossing.
  • chick: When the puffin chick hatches, it is fed by the parents until it is ready to fly.
  • colony: The Ranger will arrange to take you to the nearest Puffin colony, just 500m from the Observatory.
  • book: Puffin Books A site for every young book lover.
  • population: The total UK puffin population is estimated to be around 900,000, about 10 % of the world's population.
  • number: Figure 1. Development of puffin numbers in two of the largest UK colonies.

Noun used with modifier

  • course: All the courses Puffin teach use the superb facilities of the state of the art classrooms.

Browse dictionary entries near puffin

  1. puffery
  2. Puffer, Stefan Case
  3. puffer
  4. puffed
  5. puffball
  6. puff pastry
  7. puff adder
  8. puff
  9. Puerto Rico
  10. puerperium
  1. puffing
  2. puffy
  3. pug
  4. pug nose
  5. Puget Sound
  6. puggree
  7. pugilism
  8. pugilist
  9. Puglia
  10. pugnacious