flamingo

/flə'miɳgou/

Thân thiện

A flamingo stands gracefully on one leg in the shallow water.

Definition

Noun: A flamingo is a large wading bird known for its distinctive pink to scarlet plumage, long legs, a long neck, and a uniquely down-curved bill. It typically inhabits brackish or saline lakes and lagoons.

Examples

• We saw a flock of flamingos standing on one leg in the shallow water.
• The flamingo's pink color comes from the carotenoids in the algae and crustaceans it eats.
• The zoo has a special enclosure for its greater flamingos.

Advanced Usage

• "A flamingo of...": Used figuratively to describe something with a vivid pink color reminiscent of the bird.
  • She wore a dress in a flamingo pink.
• In heraldry and decorative arts, the flamingo is sometimes used as a symbol of flamboyance, beauty, or balance.

Variants and Related Words

• Flamingos (standard plural)
• Flamingoes (less common plural variant)
• Flamingo-like (adjective): Resembling a flamingo.
  • The sculpture had a flamingo-like grace.

Synonyms

• Wader (general term for long-legged birds that feed in shallow water)
• Pink bird (descriptive, informal)

Related Phrases

• Flamingo dance: A reference to the bird's stylized, group courtship displays.
• Stand like a flamingo: To balance on one leg.
  • The yoga instructor told us to stand like a flamingo.

Related Idioms

• "A rare bird" / "Rara avis": While not specific to flamingos, this Latin idiom for an extraordinary or unusual person could be applied to the flamingo due to its unique appearance.
• "To be in the pink": This idiom, meaning to be in very good health, shares an association with the color pink, which is the flamingo's defining trait.

Học thuật

Noun

1. large pink to scarlet web-footed wading bird with down-bent bill; inhabits brackish lakes