Definition

1. Noun:
   • A flightless seabird: A penguin is a type of bird that cannot fly. It is adapted for swimming and lives primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in cold regions like Antarctica.
   • Physical characteristics: Penguins have short legs, webbed feet, and wings that have evolved into flippers for swimming. They typically have black and white plumage.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The emperor penguin is the tallest species of penguin.
  • We saw a colony of penguins on the icy shore.
  • The penguin waddled awkwardly on land but was graceful in the water.

Advanced Usage

• "Penguin suit": A humorous or informal term for a man's formal suit, especially a tuxedo, due to its resemblance to a penguin's black-and-white coloring.
  • He had to wear a penguin suit to the gala dinner.

Variants and Related Words

• Penguinery (n, rare): A place where penguins are kept or a colony of penguins.
• Penguin-like (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a penguin.

Synonyms

• Seabird: A general term for birds that live on or near the sea. (Note: Not all seabirds are flightless like penguins.)
• Flightless bird: A bird that cannot fly, such as an ostrich or kiwi. (This is a broader category.)

Related Phrases

• "Happy Feet": A cultural reference from a popular animated film about a penguin, often used to refer to penguins in a cheerful context.
• "March of the Penguins": A reference to a famous documentary, often used to describe the long, arduous journey penguins make.

Related Idioms

• "As awkward as a penguin on land": Used to describe someone who is clumsy or out of their element in a particular situation.
  • Trying to use the new software, I felt as awkward as a penguin on land.

Noun

1. short-legged flightless birds of cold southern especially Antarctic regions having webbed feet and wings modified as flippers