Meaning & use
penguins
Last updated
“penguins” is a form of “penguin”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountable
black and white birds that cannot fly but are excellent swimmers and live mainly in the Southern Hemisphere
Grammar: The plural is 'penguins'; for one bird, say 'a penguin'.
Patterns
- a colony of penguins
- penguins live in ...
- penguins swim
Penguins huddle together to keep warm in the cold.
We saw penguins swimming near the shore.
Emperor penguins are the tallest species of penguin.
Word forms
| singular | penguin |
|---|
Common combinations
- emperor penguin
- The emperor penguin is famous for surviving harsh Antarctic winters.
- colony of penguins
- A colony of penguins covered the beach.
- penguins waddle
- On land, penguins waddle awkwardly, but in water they are graceful.
- penguin habitat
- Climate change is threatening penguin habitats.
Commonly confused: penguins or puffin?
penguins vs puffin
A puffin is a different seabird with a colorful beak; penguins have black and white feathers and live in the Southern Hemisphere.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'penguins' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Penguins are flightless birds that swim well. Option 1 is wrong because they cannot fly; option 2 uses incorrect grammar; option 3 is false because they are birds, not fish; option 4 is wrong because they live in cold coastal areas, not deserts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “penguins”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.