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

Mitchell Fairbarn was captured on surveillance video carrying the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo, Peachy, to his room after removing the bird from its enclosure at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino in March. — Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026

When authorities found Peachy, the flamingo was missing seven or eight feathers, had blood on its feathers and suffered injuries to its wings. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Parks and gardens are woven into every neighborhood; check out the shocking-pink Portland Street micro park spliced between tenements in Yau Ma Tei; Victoria Park in Causeway Bay; and Kowloon Park, which has a lake populated by real-life flamingos. — Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026

Trial video showed Fairbarn carrying the flamingo through the hotel. — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

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