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fla·min·go

(flə-mĭnggō)

n. pl. fla·min·gos or fla·min·goes

1. Any of several large wading birds of the family Phoenicopteridae, primarily of tropical regions, having reddish or pinkish plumage, long legs, a long flexible neck, and a bill turned downward at the tip.

2. A moderate reddish orange.

[Portuguese flamengo or Spanish flamenco, both probably from Old Provençal flamenc, from flama, flame, from Latin flamma; see bhel-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

(click for a larger image)

flamingo

lesser flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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