flamingo
/fləˈmɪŋɡoʊ/noun
Long-legged wading bird with pink plumage
From Latin, through Provençal flama / flamma (Flame).
Lineage
flama / flamma
-enc
The story
A flamingo’s name may be carrying a little flame: etymonline traces it through Provençal flama, “flame,” and analyzes the ending as a Germanic-derived suffix. That route gives the bird a wonderfully literal name—something like “the flame-colored one.” But there’s a rival explanation: the name may be connected with Flemings, whose ruddy complexion or hair supposedly inspired the comparison; Wiktionary notes that this account is supported by Corominas. The evidence points through forms such as Catalan flamenc and Portuguese flamengo, while the English bird name is recorded in the 1560s. So when a flamingo stands pink-legged in a tropical lagoon, its name may be describing a flame—or remembering the Flemish.
Modern usage
Urban Dictionary entries use “flamingo” for someone who works out only their upper body and has skinny legs.
- Heard in
- gym slang