Illustration of hippopotamus
hippopotamus
noun
hip·po·pot·a·mus
ˌhi-pə-ˈpä-tə-məs 
plural hippopotamuses or hippopotami
ˌhi-pə-ˈpä-tə-ˌmī
-(ˌ)mē
: any of a family (Hippopotamidae) of very large, four-toed, chiefly aquatic, herbivorous artiodactyl mammals having a very large head and mouth, nearly hairless thick grayish skin, long lower canine teeth, and relatively short legs, and including two living species:
a
: one (Hippopotamus amphibius) of sub-Saharan Africa that has webbing between the toes, spends most of the day in or near water, and typically weighs between 3 to 4 tons (2700 to 3600 kilograms)
Examples of hippopotamus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Four decades ago, Pablo Escobar brought to his Medellín hideaway four hippopotamuses, the centerpieces of a menagerie that included llamas, cheetahs, lions, tigers, ostriches and other exotic fauna.
—
Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2024
Using high-definition cameras and heat detection cameras on drones, the team observed the males making a daring crossing of the hippopotamus and Nile crocodile filled Kazinga Channel.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2024
When government troops eventually attacked their refuge, Ruth and the other villagers hid in the river with water up to their shoulders, at risk of attack by crocodiles and hippopotamuses.
—Jérôme Tubiana, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2015
Zoo Atlanta didn't get a hippopotamus for Christmas — but another large mammal had a baby, just in time for the holiday.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hippopotamus 
Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2024
Using high-definition cameras and heat detection cameras on drones, the team observed the males making a daring crossing of the hippopotamus and Nile crocodile filled Kazinga Channel.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2024
When government troops eventually attacked their refuge, Ruth and the other villagers hid in the river with water up to their shoulders, at risk of attack by crocodiles and hippopotamuses.
—Jérôme Tubiana, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2015
Zoo Atlanta didn't get a hippopotamus for Christmas — but another large mammal had a baby, just in time for the holiday.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hippopotamus
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hippopotamus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Hippopotamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hippopotamus. Accessed 19 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hippopotamus
noun
hip·po·pot·a·mus
ˌhip-ə-ˈpät-ə-məs
plural hippopotamuses or hippopotami
-ˌmī
-(ˌ)mē
: a very large mammal of Africa south of the Sahara Desert that spends most of its time in the water, feeds on plants, has an extremely large head and mouth, very thick hairless grayish skin, and short legs with four toes on each foot
also
: a smaller related mammal of western Africa
Etymology
from Latin hippopotamus "hippopotamus," from Greek hippopotamos (same meaning), literally, "river horse," from hippos "horse" and potamos "river"
Word Origin
The ancient Greeks gave the name hippopotamos to a big, barrel-shaped animal they saw in Africa. English, using the Latin spelling hippopotamus, has kept this name. It is a combination of the Greek words hippos, meaning "horse" and potamos, meaning "river." In fact, the hippopotamus is more closely related to the hog than to the horse. However, the "river" in the name is certainly right for an animal that always lives near water and spends most of its time in it. The eyes, ears, and nostrils of a hippopotamus are placed so that the animal can see, hear, and breathe even if most of its head is underwater.
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