Where does the word peguin come from?

Answer 1

According to AskOxford.com, there are several theories about the origin of the word penguin. It is said that the name penguin was first given to the great auk of the North Atlantic - a bird which is now extinct. It is believed to have come from pen gwyn meaning 'white head' in Welsh, and was most probably given to the bird by Welsh or Cornish sailors, even though the great auk had only a white spot in front of each eye. Another belief has the word coming from Newfoundland, and being pronounced 'pin-wing'. There is some evidence that the penguin was originally called the 'pin-wing', because of its unusually small and elongated wings. Another theory is that the Latin word for "fat", pinguis, has some influence in the origin of penguin.This theory is not generally accepted, although it may have had some influenceon the spelling of the auk's Latin name, Pinguinus.

Answer 2

The word "penguin" is believed to have originated from the Welsh word "pen gwyn," which means "white head." This likely refers to the white patches on the heads of some species of penguins, such as the chinstrap penguin.