flamingo
Americannoun
noun
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any large wading bird of the family Phoenicopteridae , having a pink-and-red plumage and downward-bent bill and inhabiting brackish lakes: order Ciconiiformes
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a reddish-orange colour
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( as adjective )
flamingo gloves
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Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of flamingo
1555–65; compare Portuguese flamengo, Spanish flamenco literally, Fleming ( cf. flamenco); apparently originally a jocular name, from the conventional Romance image of the Flemish as ruddy-complexioned
Explanation
A flamingo is a large, long-necked pink bird that often stands on one leg. Florida is one of the few places in the U.S. to see flamingos, aside from zoos. Though very few real flamingos are native to North America, you can spot the pink plastic lawn ornament version in front yards from California to Maine. These distinctive birds get their coloring from their food, and when flamingos in zoos aren't fed shrimp, their feathers fade to a white shade, rather than salmon pink. Flamingo is derived from the Spanish flamengo, "flame-colored."
Vocabulary lists containing flamingo
Pink
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Birds, Birds, Birds, List 2
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 31–June 6, 2026
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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.
Plus, the U.S. tech selloff picks up steam, and some Floridians want the flamingo to be the state bird.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
Last September, Rep. Mooney, of the Keys, introduced his bill in support of the flamingo and the scrub jay.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
At a pro-government rally, he also wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the symbol of the protest movement -- a pink flamingo, an animal that nests near the proposed hotel development.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
If protesters remain unconvinced, the flamingo may remain a regular feature on Tirana's streets for some time to come.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
A bloodred flamingo holds its black-tipped beak over stagnant water.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
