Illustration of flamingo
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
Examples of flamingo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Share [Findings] Pinkness predicts aggression in flamingos.
—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Esmail uses encroaching animals — a sinister herd of deer, a flock of flamingoes — with skill.
—Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2023
Apparently, flamingo tongue was a delicacy in ancient Rome.
—Michael Adno, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023
Seeing a shocking pink flamingo standing tall on a sandy Chincoteague spit?
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2023
The weekend flew by, a delirious whirl of excellent food (Samuelsson’s Marcus at the Baha Mar Fish & Chop House was especially transcendent), cabana lounging, flamingo gawking, and rejuvenating deep-tissue massages.
—Brittani Sonnenberg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023
Those flamingos were still being spotted in the Outer Banks as of Tuesday, Swick said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2023
The resort is home to about 60 wildlife species such as flamingos, turtles, and koi fish.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 14 Sep. 2023
There really were flamingos at Caesar Creek State Park this weekend!
—Brendan Rascius, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Sep. 2023
See More
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Esmail uses encroaching animals — a sinister herd of deer, a flock of flamingoes — with skill.
—Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2023
Apparently, flamingo tongue was a delicacy in ancient Rome.
—Michael Adno, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023
Seeing a shocking pink flamingo standing tall on a sandy Chincoteague spit?
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2023
The weekend flew by, a delirious whirl of excellent food (Samuelsson’s Marcus at the Baha Mar Fish & Chop House was especially transcendent), cabana lounging, flamingo gawking, and rejuvenating deep-tissue massages.
—Brittani Sonnenberg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023
Those flamingos were still being spotted in the Outer Banks as of Tuesday, Swick said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2023
The resort is home to about 60 wildlife species such as flamingos, turtles, and koi fish.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 14 Sep. 2023
There really were flamingos at Caesar Creek State Park this weekend!
—Brendan Rascius, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Sep. 2023
See More
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
Dictionary Entries Near flamingo
Cite this Entry
“Flamingo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flamingo. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
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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
More from Merriam-Webster on flamingo
Nglish: Translation of flamingo for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flamingo
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