hippopotamus
noun /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs/
/ˌhɪpəˈpɑːtəməs/
(also informal hippo)
(plural hippopotamuses
/ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməsɪz/
/ˌhɪpəˈpɑːtəməsɪz/
, hippopotami /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəmaɪ/
/ˌhɪpəˈpɑːtəmaɪ/
)- a large heavy African animal with thick dark skin and short legs that lives in rivers and lakesTopics Animalsc1Word OriginMiddle English: via Latin from Greek hippopotamos, earlier hippos ho potamios ‘river horse’ (from hippos ‘horse’, potamos ‘river’).