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Definition of atlantic puffin
atlantic puffin
Plural:Atlantic puffins
atlantic puffin Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A species of small seabird native to the North Atlantic Ocean, known for its black and white plumage and its striking, brightly colored, triangular beak during the breeding season.
Example
"During our trip to Iceland, we were thrilled to see an Atlantic puffin nesting on the steep coastal cliffs."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The name combines 'Atlantic', referring to its native oceanic habitat, and 'puffin', which originally referred to the fatty, swollen appearance of the unrelated Manx shearwater chicks, derived from the Middle English 'poffin' or 'puff'.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Atlantic puffin. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/atlantic puffin