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 disappearance of migratory birds such as flamingos and pelicans signals not only a loss of biodiversity but also a broader disruption of regional ecosystems that sustain local livelihoods. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025

The runway was punctuated with columns decorated with moving, illustrated images of flowers and pink flamingos. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025

Chilean lithium extraction occurs almost entirely in the country’s salt flats, striking desert landscapes that are home to thousands of flamingos and a great many Indigenous communities. —Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025

The flamingo pink Broward Transitional Center hides in plain sight on a stretch of road in Pompano Beach lined with palm trees and modest commercial buildings. —Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025

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