: 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 WebBut so far, Florida officials have declined to categorize flamingos as a threatened species.—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 June 2024 Faherty told the news outlet that this Massachusetts flamingo sighting could be a part of this storm’s aftermath.—Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 5 June 2024 For now, birders, including Faherty, have gone to the area after the initial sightings to try to catch a glimpse of the flamingo themselves.—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 5 June 2024 At nearby Da Laura, an Italian trattoria, the decor is eclectic (flamingo pink walls, verdant plant ceiling, mismatched chairs) and the housemade pasta is perfectly al dente.—Caitlin Gunther, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flamingo
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Word History
Etymology
obsolete Spanish flamengo (now flamenco), literally, Fleming, German (conventionally thought of as ruddy-complexioned)
: 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
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