PUFFIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does puffin mean? 

• PUFFIN (noun)
  The noun PUFFIN has 1 sense:

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

  Familiarity information: PUFFIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PUFFIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("puffin" is a kind of...):

sea bird; seabird; seafowl (a bird that frequents coastal waters and the open ocean: gulls; pelicans; gannets; cormorants; albatrosses; petrels; etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "puffin"):

Atlantic puffin; Fratercula arctica (common puffin of the northern Atlantic)

Fratercula corniculata; horned puffin (northern Pacific puffin)

Lunda cirrhata; tufted puffin (northern Pacific puffin having a large yellow plume over each eye)

Holonyms ("puffin" is a member of...):

Alcidae; family Alcidae (web-footed diving seabirds of northern seas: auks; puffins; guillemots; murres; etc.)

 Context examples 

Why, 'e took up 'is end o' the boxes like they was pounds of tea, and me a-puffin' an' a-blowin' afore I could up-end mine anyhow—an' I'm no chicken, neither.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)