HOW TO PRONOUNCE
penguin
/ˈpɛŋ.ɡwɪn/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does penguin mean?
noun
- Any of several flightless sea birds, of the family Spheniscidae within the order Sphenisciformes, found in the Southern Hemisphere, marked by their usual upright stance, walking on short legs, and (generally) their stark black and white plumage.
- (slang) A nun.
- A type of catch where the palm of the hand is facing towards the leg with the arm stretched downward, resembling the flipper of a penguin.
More meanings (3)
noun
- (slang) A member of the air force who does not fly aircraft.
- (historical, obsolete) An auk (sometimes especially a great auk), a bird of the Northern Hemisphere.
proper noun
- A town in Central Coast Council, northern Tasmania, Australia.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈpɛŋ.ɡwɪn/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
There, a few yards from the door, sat a big Emperor penguin, making bow after bow.
Our meals now consisted in the main of a fairly generous helping of seal or penguin, either boiled or fried.
More book examples (3)
There still remained one and a half pounds of penguin meat, several infusions of tea and plenty of kerosene for the primus.
Another day, having placed myself between a penguin (Aptenodytes demersa) and the water, I was much amused by watching its habits.
The latter also has such very small, almost rudimentary wings, that it must have been chiefly a swimmer and a diver like a Penguin; while Ichthyornis has strong wings and no doubt possessed corresponding powers of flight.