What does penguin mean?
A penguin is a flightless bird that lives mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, especially around Antarctica, the South Pole, and the coasts of South America, southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Its compact body, upright posture, short wings, and webbed feet give it a distinctive waddling appearance, while specialized feathers and powerful swimming muscles allow many species to move efficiently underwater. Penguins vary greatly in size, from the tiny blue penguin to the imposing emperor penguin, and many species form large breeding colonies. Although the name is sometimes used figuratively for an awkwardly upright person, its everyday meaning remains the bird itself. The word is especially memorable because it describes an animal that has abandoned flight in exchange for exceptional aquatic ability, demonstrating that movement in water and movement in air can demand very different forms of adaptation.
nounA flightless, aquatic bird of the Southern Hemisphere, characterized by a black-and-white or gray-and-white plumage, short wings, and webbed feet. Penguins are strong swimmers and generally move on land by waddling upright.
- A flightless bird belonging to the penguin family, native chiefly to the Southern Hemisphere.
"A colony of penguins gathered on the rocky shore as the Antarctic winds swept across the bay."
"The naturalist observed a large penguin colony near the edge of the ice shelf."
"Children waddled like penguins as they made their way across the slippery rocks."
The usual plural, used for individual birds, groups of birds, and species discussed in the plural.
"Researchers tracked the penguins as they migrated across the ocean."
Penguins cannot fly, yet they can swim with remarkable speed, using their wings like underwater paddles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does penguin come from?
English borrowed the word in the early 17th century from Dutch pinguin. The Dutch word's ultimate origin is uncertain, though it is often associated with Welsh pen gwyn, meaning “white head,” through a chain of linguistic transmission. Names derived from the same source include French pingouin and Spanish pingüino.
How penguin is actually used
The word is standard in zoology and general usage. In informal contexts, describing someone's waddling movement or formal attire as penguin-like is readily understood.