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Glite Dictionary
family Spheniscidae

family Spheniscidae

8.1
A group of penguin species that are alive today
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˌsfɛnɪˈsɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia Spheniscidae
  • The family Spheniscidae includes all species of penguins.

Examples

  • All living penguin species are classified within the family Spheniscidae.

  • Did you know that the family Spheniscidae is native to the Southern Hemisphere?

  • Fossil records help trace the origins of the family Spheniscidae back millions of years.

  • The evolutionary history of the family Spheniscidae is the subject of much scientific research.

  • All living penguin species belong to the family Spheniscidae.

  • The family Spheniscidae consists of various species of penguins found in the Southern Hemisphere.

  • Research has shown that the family Spheniscidae originated millions of years ago.

Synonyms

Spheniscidae
vsfamily Spheniscidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of birds that includes all penguins

is the general biological description of that group

Surface Forms

family Spheniscidae singular
families Spheniscidae plural

Morphology

family + Spheniscidae

This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the taxonomic name 'Spheniscidae' yields the biological family named Spheniscidae. The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows common cross-linguistic taxonomic naming patterns, so a learner who knows both words will understand it.

Etymology

Family Spheniscidae comes from the scientific name Spheniscus, from old Greek words that mean 'wedge', a simple picture of a penguin's short, wedge-shaped body and flat flipper wings. That's why family Spheniscidae is the scientific name used to group all living 'penguins'.