dingo
Americannoun
-
dingoes
plural
-
a wolflike, wild dog, Canis familiaris dingo, of Australia, having a reddish- or yellowish-brown coat.
-
Australian. a cowardly or treacherous person.
noun
-
a wild dog, Canis dingo, of Australia, having a yellowish-brown coat and resembling a wolf
-
slang a cheat or coward
verb
-
-
to act in a cowardly manner
-
to drop out of something
-
-
(foll by on) to let (someone) down
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dingo
First recorded in 1789, dingo is from the Dharuk word din-gu tame dingo
Explanation
A dingo is a wild Australian dog, a very distant relative of the pup curled up on your sofa. Dingoes are sometimes called "singing dogs" for the wide variety of howls they use to communicate. Dingoes have lived in Australia for at least 3,500 years, and they're the largest carnivorous mammal on the continent (besides humans). These medium-sized brown and white dogs live and hunt in family groups, preying on rabbits, small rodents, and helping to control some invasive species like the red fox. Dingo comes from the Native Australian Dharruk language, meaning "tame dog."
Vocabulary lists containing dingo
Australia and New Zealand - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Australia and New Zealand - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Wildlife experts said killing the animals was the wrong response and may threaten the island's dingo population, estimated at just 70-200 animals.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
Altadena was where people raised chickens before it was trendy, where no one batted an eye at the neighbors with a pet dingo, or thought much about the so-called haunted road said to defy gravity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026
It's said that a dog is a man's best friend, but the wild dingo is much maligned in Australia.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2023
She cited a recent example of a man posting a photograph of him handfeeding a dingo while a toddler was beside him.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 17, 2023
Jane and Michael had a good view of what was happening, through a gap between a panther and a dingo.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
The remains came from both native and introduced animals, including cows, kangaroos, emus, sheep, pigs, dingoes, rabbits, possums, quolls and swamp rats.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Six of the dingoes had already been euthanised, the state's environment minister, Andrew Powell, told reporters Sunday.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
The area is known for its population of dingoes, a wild species of native dog that is protected in Queensland national parks.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
They’re threatened by conflict with humans, dogs and dingoes and a disease called Devil Facial Tumor Disease that only affects the species.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2025
No dingoes, no eagles, no snakes, no crows!
From The Crooked Stick or Pollies's Probation by Rolf Boldrewood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
