hippo vs hippopotamus what difference

what is difference between hippo and hippopotamus

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɪpəʊ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɪpoʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɪpəʊ

Noun

hippo (plural hippos)

1. Clipping of hippopotamus.

Derived terms

• hippo fly

English

Alternative forms

• hippopotamos (archaic)
• hippotamus (obsolete)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌhɪ.pə.ˈpɒ.tə.məs/
• Hyphenation: hip‧po‧po‧ta‧mus

Noun

hippopotamus (plural hippopotamuses or hippopotamusses or hippopotami or hippopotamoi or hippopotamus)

1. A large, semi-aquatic, herbivorous (plant-eating) African mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius).
2. Any similar animal of the family Hippopotamidae.

Synonyms

• (semi-aquatic mammal): hippo, river horse

Derived terms

• pygmy hippopotamus

Related terms

• hippo-
• potamic

Translations

Synonyms

• (a large, herbivorous African mammal): hippo, river horse

Latin

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /hip.poˈpo.ta.mus/, [hɪpːɔˈpɔt̪ämʊs̠]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ip.poˈpo.ta.mus/, [ipːɔˈpɔːt̪ɑmus]

Noun

hippopotamus m (genitive hippopotamī); second declension

1. a hippopotamus

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Descendants

• English: hippopotamus
• Portuguese: hipopótamo

References

• hippopotamus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• hippopotamus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

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