penguin
- 01 A1 Beginner
a black and white bird that lives in the Southern Hemisphere and cannot fly.
any of several flightless aquatic birds of the family Spheniscidae, characterised by an upright stance and wings evolved into flippers.
Simple“The children loved watching the penguins waddle across the ice at the zoo.”
In context“Emperor penguins are remarkable for their ability to survive the harsh Antarctic winter while protecting their eggs from the freezing temperatures.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a member of the air force who works on the ground and does not fly planes.
a member of the air force whose duties are restricted to ground operations. The term is usually used as a lighthearted or derogatory label for non-aircrew personnel.
Simple“He joined the air force to be a pilot, but he ended up as a penguin in the office.”
In context“The pilots often teased the ground technicians by calling them penguins, implying they had wings but were unable to leave the tarmac.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a humorous or slightly rude name for a nun because of her black and white clothes.
a slang term for a nun, referencing the visual similarity between a traditional habit and the plumage of the bird.
Simple“In the old movie, the kids were always trying to hide from the penguins at their school.”
In context“The comedian made a joke about being taught by penguins, referring to the strict nuns who ran his childhood parish school.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a tropical plant with sharp spines and fruit that looks like an egg.
a spiny bromeliad (Bromelia pinguin) native to the American tropics, known for its edible but highly acidic fruit.
Simple“The hikers had to be careful not to touch the sharp leaves of the penguin plant.”
In context“Bromelia pinguin, commonly known as the penguin, is often used as a living fence in tropical regions due to its formidable spines.”
Synonymswild pineapple
Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *kʷennom Proto-Brythonic *penn Welsh pen? Proto-Indo-European *weyd-der.? Proto-Celtic *windos Proto-Brythonic *gwɨnn Welsh gwyn? Proto-Indo-European *peyh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *bʰenǵʰ-influ.? Latin pinguisder.? English penguin Uncertain. First attested in the 16th century in reference to the auk of the Northern hemisphere; the word was later applied to the superficially similar birds of the Southern hemisphere (as was woggin). Possibly from Welsh pen (“head”) and gwyn (“white”), or from Latin pinguis (“fat”). See citations and the Wikipedia article. Sense 3 originates from the often black-and-white habit worn by nuns, which resemble the bird's colors.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.