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hippopotamus
(hip′ə pät′ə məs)
noun pl. hippopotamuses, hippopotami , hippopotamus
any of a family (Hippopotamyidae) of large, plant-eating, artiodactylous mammals with a heavy, thick-skinned, almost hairless body and short legs: they live chiefly in or near rivers in Africa
Origin: L < Gr hippopotamos, lit., river horse < hippos (see hippo-) + potamos, river, orig., that which goes down < IE base *pet-, to fall, fly > feather, Gr pteryx, wing
See hippopotamus in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. hip·po·pot·a·mus·es or hip·po·pot·a·mi (-mīˌ)
- A large, chiefly aquatic African herbivorous mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius) having thick, dark, almost hairless skin, short legs with four toes, and a broad, wide-mouthed muzzle. Also called river horse.
- The pygmy hippopotamus.
Origin:
Origin: Latin
Origin: , from Greek hippopotamos
Origin: : hippos, horse; see ekwo- in Indo-European roots
Origin: + potamos, river; see pet- in Indo-European roots
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