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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Learn more › Florida’s manatees are as much a part of the state’s seascape as flamingoes, dolphins, reef fish, and smelly seaweed. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2024 There is a choice of ivory, flamingo and marble colorways, so there’s bound to be one to suit most people. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 Crafted to transport you into the vivid worlds of some of the most iconic tales, the options include a Lewis Carol–inspired Alice in Wonderland journey that whisks you away to Oxfordshire for high tea parties, custom costumes, and flamingo croquet. Michelle Gross, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2024 Several populations of lesser flamingos inhabit Africa and India—researchers estimate between two million to three million lesser flamingos exist in the world. Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for flamingo 

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 1 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!