penguin

pen-guin · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A flightless seabird of the southern hemisphere, with black upper parts and white underparts, and wings developed into flippers for swimming underwater.

  2. 2.

    (informal) A person wearing a black and white formal outfit, especially a tuxedo.

Forms

plural: penguins

Related words

See also: Antarctic, arctic, bird
Synonyms: seabird

Etymology

Possibly from Welsh pen gwyn meaning "white head," originally referring to the now-extinct great auk, later transferred to the southern hemisphere birds we know today.