Word
puffin
Phoneticspuf·fin, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpəˌfɪn/
UK/pˈʌfɪn/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small sea bird with black and white feathers and a big, bright beak. You often see them living on cliffs in cold northern places.
n. a small pelagic seabird of the auk family with black-and-white plumage and a large, brightly coloured triangular bill in the breeding season. It nests in colonies on northern coastal cliffs and feeds by diving for small fish.
Examples
“The puffin holds a small fish in its beak.”
“We watched puffins dive from the cliff and return with beaks full of sand eels for their chicks.”
“At dusk the puffins crowded the ledge, their painted bills flashing as they jostled for space before settling for the night.”
Examples
simple
“The puffin holds a small fish in its beak.”
contextual
“We watched puffins dive from the cliff and return with beaks full of sand eels for their chicks.”
complex
“At dusk the puffins crowded the ledge, their painted bills flashing as they jostled for space before settling for the night.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “puffin” in context.
Verb
01. look for puffin
“We brought binoculars to look for puffins along the cliffs.”
verb + prep + noun
02. photograph puffin
“She stopped to photograph a puffin sitting near the path.”
verb + noun
03. protect puffin
“The reserve was created to protect puffins and other seabirds.”
verb + noun
04. puffin breeds
“The puffin breeds in large colonies on northern islands.”
noun + verb
05. puffin dives
“The puffin dives underwater to catch small fish.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. atlantic puffin
“The Atlantic puffin is easy to recognise by its bright orange beak.”
adj + noun
07. baby puffin
“We saw a baby puffin peeking out of its burrow on the cliff.”
adj + noun
08. colourful puffin
“The colourful puffin is often called the clown of the sea.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. puffin burrow
“Each puffin burrow holds a single chick in summer.”
noun + noun
10. puffin chick
“A puffin chick stays in the burrow for about six weeks.”
noun + noun
11. puffin colony
“We visited a large puffin colony on the west coast.”
noun + noun
12. a colony of puffins
“A large colony of puffins nests on these cliffs every summer.”
Etymology
From Middle English poffin, poffoun, puffon, equivalent to puff + -ing, or perhaps ultimately from Middle Cornish (compare Breton poc'han (“puffin”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
The word in film
Puffin Rock · 2015
- Directed by:
- Maurice Joyce
Narrated by Chris O'Dowd, this Irish children's animation from 2015 takes place around Puffin Rock. The first word is the name of the seabird with a colourful beak that is linked to that place.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/puffin