flamingo

noun

fla·​min·​go flə-ˈmiŋ-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce flamingo (audio)
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

Illustration of flamingo

Examples of flamingo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lesser flamingos, which are the smallest flamingo species, are thought to prefer and feel more comfortable in bigger groups. Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024 Lego Creator 3-in-1 Wild Safari Animals Anyone with a mini zoologist in their life won’t want to sleep on this Lego kit that can be deconstructed and rebuilt into a few animals: a giraffe with a flamingo, a lion with a tree and butterfly, and two gazelles. Melissa Epifano, EW.com, 8 Oct. 2024 Seen from above, the soda lakes offer a mesmerizing and ever-changing mix of colors and patterns, providing a perfect photographic complement to the flamingos. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 Murals range from wild animals playing guitars to wild cactuses and flamingos. Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flamingo 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flamingo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of flamingo was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near flamingo

Cite this Entry

“Flamingo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flamingo. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

flamingo

noun
fla·​min·​go flə-ˈmiŋ-gō How to pronounce flamingo (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on flamingo

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