penguins

pen-guins · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    Flightless seabirds of the family Spheniscidae, found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, having black and white plumage and wings modified as flippers for swimming.

  2. 2.

    (informal) People wearing formal black and white attire.

Related words

See also: Antarctic, bird, wildlife
Synonyms: seabirds

Etymology

Possibly from Welsh pen gwyn meaning "white head," originally referring to the great auk. The name was later transferred to the similar-looking birds of the Southern Hemisphere.