dingo

noun

din·​go ˈdiŋ-(ˌ)gō 

plural dingoes

: a wild dog (Canis dingo) of Australia having a tan or reddish coat that is often considered a subspecies (C. familiaris dingo) of the domestic dog

Illustration of dingo

Did you know?

An Australian wild dog, the dingo was apparently introduced from Asia 5,000–8,000 years ago. It has short, soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect, pointed ears. It is about 4 ft (1.2 m) long, including the 12-in (30-cm) tail, and stands about 24 in (60 cm) high. Its color varies between yellowish and reddish brown, often with white underparts, feet, and tail tip. Dingoes hunt alone or in small groups. They formerly preyed on kangaroos, but now feed mainly on rabbits and sometimes on livestock. Through competition for resources, they contributed to the extermination of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland.

Examples of dingo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Conservation of dingoes has been up for debate because they’re seen as wild dogs whose numbers need to be controlled. —science.org, 12 July 2024

The modern-day dingo is descended from ancient dogs and wolves from China and the Tibetan Plateau and not to dogs domestic to the Australian continent, researchers behind a new study report. —science.org, 12 July 2024

The dingoes and bears wallow in large piles of ice, while other animals have misters or fans in their habitats. —Martin Vassolo, Axios, 24 July 2024

The 40-acre facility has among its list of roughly 1,600 critters, penguins, binturongs, sharks, dingoes, Flemish giant rabbits, servals, tree frogs, capuchin monkeys, moon jellyfish, pythons and orangutans. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 23 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) diŋgu

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dingo

noun

din·​go ˈdiŋ-gō 

plural dingoes

: a reddish brown bushy-tailed wild dog of Australia