hippo
noun
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hippo
1 American
[hip-oh]
/ ˈhɪp oʊ /
noun
Informal.
-
hippos
plural
Hippo
2
American
[hip-oh]
/ ˈhɪp oʊ /
noun
hippo-
3
American
hippo
British
/ ˈhɪpəʊ /
noun
-
short for hippopotamus
-
an armoured police car
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of hippo1
By shortening
Origin of hippo-3
< Greek: combining form of híppos; cognate with Latin equus, Old Irish ech, Old English eoh, Sanskrit aśvas, Lithuanian ašvà
Explanation
A hippo is a very large African mammal that lives both in and out of the water. Adult hippos can weigh well over 3,000 pounds. Hippos are the third-largest land mammals (after elephants and rhinos), and of the three, they are by far the most aggressive and territorial. These gray, hairless, barrel-shaped animals resemble enormous pigs, but they're more closely related to whales and dolphins. Hippo is shorthand for hippopotamus, a word that derives from the Greek ho hippos potamios, "the horse of the river."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The holes reminded 4-year-old Uri of a hippo he’d seen at the zoo, which opened its maw “like a deep cave” to reveal enormous teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The hippo liked it there, so it took a while to extract the animal from the muddy waters to the delight of the locals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
"That is why the hippo is cool," added Mogg.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
McDonald’s soon followed, launching in 1979 its Happy Meal, which came with a free circus animal trinket — a lion, elephant, hippo or bear.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
It was much more frightening than any hippo.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
In northeastern Annaba -- formerly the ancient Roman city of Hippo -- Leo will visit vestiges of the city's historical past, as well as a reception centre run by Catholic nuns for impoverished elderly people.
From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026
She has also conducted workshops and sold merchandise — from art prints to T-shirts to washi tape — at such spots as Leanna Lin’s Wonderland, Popkiller and Pygmy Hippo Shoppe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026
In mid-April, the pope plans to visit Hippo, where Augustine served as bishop, in what is today Algeria.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
Astro-JJR Hippo Suzuki rider Richardson grew up in the town of Lower Hutt, just north of Wellington on New Zealand's north Island, before moving to the UK.
From BBC ● May 6, 2025
When he wrote the book Augustine was bishop of Hippo, an important city of northern Africa.
From A Source Book of Medi?val History Documents Illustrative of European Life and Institutions from the German Invasions to the Renaissance by Frederic Austin Ogg
The prefix hippo- comes from the Greek word for "horse".
From The Faerie Queene — Volume 01 by Edmund Spenser
Lastly, he was to wind them up by appearing in his favourite character of Mr. William Button, of Tooley Street, in 'the highly novel and laughable hippo- comedietta of The Tailor's Journey to Brentford.'
From Hard Times by Charles Dickens
He has used giraffes, hippos, rhinos, camels and zebras, and now has both bisons and elephants at the Great Moscow Circus, which opened during the Soviet era.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
Both are expected to be released when they grow up to join other hippos living in the wild.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
Coachella veterans were chuffed to hit the grounds and see “Network Operations,” the long-awaited return of Dedo Vabo’s hippos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
Judy, the first rabbit to join the city's police force, has proven to her macho colleagues — buffaloes, hippos, and warthogs — that she deserves her place in the investigative department.
From Barron's ● Nov. 25, 2025
No hippos would be attracted to a grassless rock.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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