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Definition of king penguin
king penguin
Plural:king penguins
king penguin Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A large species of flightless seabird (Aptenodytes patagonicus) native to the Subantarctic islands, characterized by its substantial size—second only to the emperor penguin—and distinctive, bright orange-yellow plumage on its upper chest and ear patches.
Example
"During our expedition to South Georgia, we were amazed by the massive colony of king penguins waddling along the icy shore."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The name combines 'king'—used to denote its large size and majestic appearance—and 'penguin' (possibly from Welsh 'pen gwyn' meaning white head). It was named the 'king' penguin because it was the largest species known to science until the discovery of the even larger emperor penguin in the Antarctic.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of King penguin. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/king penguin