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hippopotamus

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Hippopotamus

English

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Hippopotamus
English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin and New Latin hippopotamus, from Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, horse) (English hippo-) + ποταμός (potamós, river). Displaced nicker, from Old English nicor.

Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/
  • (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˌhɪp.əˈpɑ.tə.məs/, [ˌhɪp.əˈpɑ.ɾə.məs]
    • Audio (US):(file)
  • (Philippines) IPA(key): /hɪ.poˈpo.ta.mʊs/, /hɪ.po.poˈta.mʊs/
  • (Ghana) IPA(key): /ˌhi.po̞.po̞ˈte̞ː.mo̞s/
  • (Nigeria) IPA(key): /ˌhi.poˈpo.te.mɔs/
  • Hyphenation: hip‧po‧po‧ta‧mus

Noun

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hippopotamus (plural hippopotami or hippopotamuses or hippopotamus)

  1. A large, semi-aquatic, herbivorous (plant-eating) African mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius; common hippopotamus).
    Synonyms: hippo, river horse
  2. Any similar animal of the family Hippopotamidae.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Similar-looking but unrelated terms, not to be confused with the above

Latin

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, horse) + ποταμός (potamós, river).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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hippopotamus m (genitive hippopotamī); second declension

  1. a hippopotamus

Declension

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Second-declension noun.

singular plural
nominative hippopotamus hippopotamī
genitive hippopotamī hippopotamōrum
dative hippopotamō hippopotamīs
accusative hippopotamum hippopotamōs
ablative hippopotamō hippopotamīs
vocative hippopotame hippopotamī

Descendants

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References

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