puffin

puf·fin

P0650200 (pŭf′ĭn)n. Any of several seabirds of the genus Fratercula of northern regions, characteristically having black-and-white plumage and a vertically flattened, triangular bill that is brightly colored during breeding season.

[Middle English poffoun, puffon, perhaps from puf, puff; see puff.]

puffin

(ˈpʌfɪn) n (Animals) any of various northern diving birds of the family Alcidae (auks, etc), esp Fratercula arctica (common or Atlantic puffin), having a black-and-white plumage and a brightly coloured vertically flattened bill: order Charadriiformes[C14: perhaps of Cornish origin]

puf•fin

(ˈpʌf ɪn)

n. any of several sea birds of the genus Fratercula, of the auk family, with a short neck and a colorful, triangular bill. [1300–50; Middle English poffoun, poffin, puffon (compare Anglo-Latin poffo, puffo); orig. uncertain]

Thesaurus

Noun

puffin - any of two genera of northern seabirds having short necks and brightly colored compressed billssea bird, seabird, seafowl - a bird that frequents coastal waters and the open ocean: gulls; pelicans; gannets; cormorants; albatrosses; petrels; etc.Alcidae, family Alcidae - web-footed diving seabirds of northern seas: auks; puffins; guillemots; murres; etc.Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica - common puffin of the northern AtlanticFratercula corniculata, horned puffin - northern Pacific puffinLunda cirrhata, tufted puffin - northern Pacific puffin having a large yellow plume over each eye

puffin

nounRelated words
adjective alcidine
habitation puffinry

Translations

puffin

puffin,

common name for a diving bird of the family Alcidae (aukauk
, common name for a member of the family Alcidae (alcid family), swimming and diving birds of the N Atlantic and Pacific, which includes the guillemots and puffins. Their legs are set far back on their bodies, making them clumsy on land, where they seldom venture except to
..... Click the link for more information. family). Its large, triangular bill, brilliantly colored in yellow, blue, and vermilion, is adapted to carrying several fish at one time; it also gives the puffin its alternate name of sea parrot. During the mating season horny excrescences may develop over the eyes. Puffins have dumpy bodies, short legs set far back, and small wings; although expert swimmers, they are clumsy on land and in flight. They nest in colonies in burrows or rock cavities on northern islands and migrate regularly—the Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica, as far south as Long Island and the Pacific puffin, Lunda cirrhata, to California. The female lays a single egg, which is incubated mainly by the female. The chick is fed fish by both parents, and is abruptly deserted after 6 weeks. The adolescent puffin stays alone for another week, and then leaves the burrow alone. Puffins are classified in the phylum ChordataChordata
, phylum of animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development. Most chordates are vertebrates (animals with backbones), but the phylum also includes some small marine invertebrate animals.
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Charadriiformes, family Alcidae.

puffin

any of various northern diving birds of the family Alcidae (auks, etc.), esp Fratercula arctica (common or Atlantic puffin), having a black-and-white plumage and a brightly coloured vertically flattened bill: order Charadriiformes

See puffin

Acronym

Definition

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puffin

puf·fin

puffin

puf•fin

puffin

puffin

puffin,

puffin

PUFFIN

puffin

Words related to puffin

noun any of two genera of northern seabirds having short necks and brightly colored compressed bills

Related Words