hippopotamus

[ hip-uh-pot-uh-muhs ]

/ ˌhɪp əˈpɒt ə məs /

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See synonyms for hippopotamus on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural hip·po·pot·a·mus·es, hip·po·pot·a·mi

[hip-uh-pot-uh-mahy]. /ˌhɪp əˈpɒt əˌmaɪ/.

a large herbivorous mammal, Hippopotamus amphibius, having a thick hairless body, short legs, and a large head and muzzle, found in and near the rivers, lakes, etc., of Africa, and able to remain under water for a considerable time.

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Origin of hippopotamus

1555–65; <Latin <Greek hippopótamos, earlier híppos potámios literally, riverine horse (term used by Herodotus in his account of the Egyptian hippopotamus); compare Middle English ypotame, ypotamos, ypotanus<Old French ypotame<Medieval Latin ypotamus

OTHER WORDS FROM hippopotamus

hip·po·po·tam·ic

[hip-uh-puh-tam-ik], /ˌhɪp ə pəˈtæm ɪk/, hip·po·po·ta·mi·an

[hip-uh-puh-tey-mee-uhn], /ˌhɪp ə pəˈteɪ mi ən/, adjective

Words nearby hippopotamus

Hippolytus, Hippomenes, hippophagist, hippophagy, hippophile, hippopotamus, Hippo Regius, Hippo Zarytus, hippuric acid, hippus, hippy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hippopotamus in a sentence

In the case of the hippopotamus, they cut channels through the mud to navigate between precious water and food sources.
Lizard of Oz: Australia’s Biggest Dinosaur Discovered|Scott Hocknull and Rochelle Lawrence, The Conversation|June 7, 2021|The Daily Beast
Similar trampling features can be seen today around Australian billabongs, or waterholes in Africa where the largest plant-eaters, such as elephants and hippopotamuses, trample mud into a hard layer.
Lizard of Oz: Australia’s Biggest Dinosaur Discovered|Scott Hocknull and Rochelle Lawrence, The Conversation|June 7, 2021|The Daily Beast
This article is excerpted from American Hippopotamus, a recent single from The Atavist.
Lake Bacon: The Story of The Man Who Wanted Us to Eat Mississippi Hippos|Jon Mooallem|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pygmy hippos are a distinct sub-species to their larger cousins the common hippopotamus.
Prince Harry The Pygmy Hippos Dies||May 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST

I'm not the hippopotamus I think I am when I'm comparing myself to Blake Lively.
The Fat Wars|Marisa Meltzer|May 19, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It was a hippopotamus which had been standing on the river-brink within six yards of the muzzle of his gun.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
He aimed at the yawning hippopotamus and fired, hitting it on the skull, but at such an angle that the ball glanced off.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
He was as successful as he was brave, and he had the great good luck to meet a tiger, a young hippopotamus, and a boa constrictor.
The Animal Story Book|Various
It was voted by acclamation, that Hippopotamus was agreeable to the company.
Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School|Jessie Graham Flower
Let's play I'm a hippopotamus, and you're a little yellow chicken, and I'm trying to catch you and eat you up.
Marjorie's Busy Days|Carolyn Wells

British Dictionary definitions for hippopotamus

hippopotamus

/ (ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs) /

noun plural -muses or -mi (-ˌmaɪ)

a very large massive gregarious artiodactyl mammal, Hippopotamus amphibius, living in or around the rivers of tropical Africa: family Hippopotamidae. It has short legs and a thick skin sparsely covered with hair

pigmy hippopotamus a related but smaller animal, Choeropsis liberiensis

Word Origin for hippopotamus

C16: from Latin, from Greek hippopotamos river horse, from hippos horse + potamos river

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hippopotamus

Origin of hippopotamus

OTHER WORDS FROM hippopotamus

Words nearby hippopotamus

Words related to hippopotamus

How to use hippopotamus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hippopotamus

Word Origin for hippopotamus