Late 16th century; earliest use found in John Foxe (?1517–1587), martyrologist. From French phoenicoptère, phénicoptère or its etymon classical Latin phoenīcopterus flamingo (Pliny) from ancient Greek ϕοινικόπτερος, literally ‘red-feathered’ from ϕοινικ-, ϕοῖνιξ dark red + -πτερος.