flamingo

noun

fla·​min·​go flə-ˈmiŋ-(ˌ)gō 

plural flamingos also flamingoes

: any of several large aquatic birds (family Phoenicopteridae) with long legs and neck, webbed feet, a broad lamellate bill resembling that of a duck but abruptly bent downward, and usually rosy-white plumage with scarlet wing coverts and black wing quills

Illustration of flamingo

Examples of flamingo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The case quickly disappeared, including the new Cartier flamingo brooch. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026

In one case, a lone male hyena who hasn’t eaten for days must figure out how to catch a flamingo to survive. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 Oct. 2026

Spread across 400 acres in the hills of Santa Rosa, Safari West is home to more than 900 animals, including giraffes, zebras, rhinos, flamingos, cape buffalo and impalas. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026

White flamingos and red-footed falcons floated above the lagoon, framed by a long strip of dune and beach. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Spanish flamengo (now flamenco), literally, Fleming, German (conventionally thought of as ruddy-complexioned)

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for flamingo

• bingo
• dingo
• gringo
• lingo

Kids Definition

flamingo

noun

fla·​min·​go flə-ˈmiŋ-gō 

plural flamingos also flamingoes

: any of several rosy-white birds with scarlet wings, a very long neck and legs, and a broad bill bent down at the end that are often found wading in shallow water

Etymology

from Portuguese flamingo "flamingo," from Spanish flamenco "flamingo," derived from Latin flamma "flame"; so called from the fiery red feathers on the underside of the wings