Dingo
/ˈdɪŋɡoʊ/noun
A wild or semi-domesticated dog native to Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.
Did you know?“Dingo” was recorded by European settlers in the Sydney region in the late 18th century, probably from a Dharuk word such as dingu or tingo meaning “dog.”
Etymological Timeline
Before 1788
Dharuk
dingu/tingo
“A local Aboriginal term for a dog; the exact original form and meaning remain uncertain.”
1788–1789
English
dingo
“A word adopted by British colonists around Port Jackson for the Australian wild dog.”
1790
English
dingo
“One of the earliest published English records of the term appears in descriptions of Australian animals.”
19th Century
English
dingo
“The word becomes established in colonial natural-history and zoological writing.”
Modern English
English
dingo
“The recognized name for Australia’s distinctive wild canine, also used for related populations in Southeast Asia.”
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