dingo

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noun din·go \ ˈdiŋ-(ˌ)gō \

Definition of dingo

plural dingoes

:a wild dog (Canis dingo) of Australia having a tan or reddish coat that is often considered a subspecies (C. familiaris dingo) of the domestic dog

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Recent Examples of dingo from the Web

For something entirely different, stop into the Healesville Sanctuary, which provides refuge for local wildlife – like kangaroos, dingos, wombats and the like.

— claire volkman, Vogue, "A Delicious Guide to Noshing and Sipping Through Melbourne's 'Sonoma'," 22 June 2017
Not since the notorious case of Lindy Chamberlain — whose baby daughter was killed by a dingo during an Outback camping trip — has a legal saga so mesmerized the country.

— kristen gelineau, The Seattle Times, "How did a drug bust in Bali become an Australian obsession?," 19 May 2017
But on the opposite side, there was just one dingo with some 3,200 kangaroos happily hopping about, unchecked by pesky predators.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Is Australia’s Dingo-Proof Fence Changing the Ecosystem of the Outback?," 15 May 2017
The winner: Sandy Maliki, a pure-bred Australian desert dingo.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Dingo Wins Competition for World’s Most Interesting Genome," 17 Apr. 2017
Now, one of the central figures in the case — in which a dingo, a type of wild dog found in Australia, was found to have killed the couple’s nine-week-old baby girl — has died.

— niraj chokshi, New York Times, "Michael Chamberlain, Father of Baby Killed by a Dingo in Australia, Dies at 72," 10 Jan. 2017
Exactly what precipitated the fight between the dog and marsupial is unclear, although Festa-Bianchet says kangaroos are used to contending with dingoes, which often prey on them.

— National Geographic, "Man Who Punched Kangaroo to Save His Dog Risked His Life," 5 Dec. 2016
Koalas, in their native habitat of Australia, often fall prey to dingoes and other wild animals, but never a cougar.

— National Geographic, "Famous L.A. Cougar May Have Killed Koala," 10 Mar. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dingo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.