dingo

noun

din·​go ˈdiŋ-(ˌ)gō 

plural dingoes

: a tan or reddish canid (Canis dingo) of Australia that is often considered a subspecies (C. lupus dingo) of the wolf or a subspecies (C. familiaris dingo) of the domestic dog

Illustration of dingo

Did you know?

An Australian wild dog, the dingo was apparently introduced from Asia 5,000–8,000 years ago. It has short, soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect, pointed ears. It is about 4 ft (1.2 m) long, including the 12-in (30-cm) tail, and stands about 24 in (60 cm) high. Its color varies between yellowish and reddish brown, often with white underparts, feet, and tail tip. Dingoes hunt alone or in small groups. They formerly preyed on kangaroos, but now feed mainly on rabbits and sometimes on livestock. Through competition for resources, they contributed to the extermination of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland.

Examples of dingo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The main threats to the slow-moving species include fires, drought, feral dogs, cats, dingoes and foxes, with three echidna species classified as critically endangered and vulnerable. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 July 2026

For some ancient Aboriginal Australian communities, dingoes were part of the family. — ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026

Attacks by dingoes — wild dogs native to Australia — on humans are rare, but the three incidents at the campground all happened in the space of a week. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) diŋgu

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dingo

• bingo
• gringo
• lingo
• flamingo

Kids Definition

dingo

noun

din·​go ˈdiŋ-gō 

plural dingoes

: a reddish brown bushy-tailed wild dog of Australia