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

Might the victory flamingos make their return? —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 June 2026

Still, visitors to Venice who hope to casually spy flamingos will probably be disappointed, and AP reporters recently had to travel by boat for an hour to spot any. —ABC News, 30 May 2026

Spanning nearly 1,000 acres, this is the best place for birdwatching and flamingo sightings. —Aileen Weintraub, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026

Blending flamingo wallpaper, a vintage Playboy pinball machine, and mismatched framed photos, the bar’s aesthetic is a nostalgic collision of The Golden Girls and Miami Vice. —Mariette Williams, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 May 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