LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

hippopotamus

hippopotamus m (genitive hippopotamī)
Classical[hɪp.pɔˈpɔ.ta.mʊs]Ecclesiastical[ip.poˈpɔː.ta.mus]

Meaning

  1. masculinea hippopotamus

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativehippopotamushippopotamī
genitivehippopotamīhippopotamōrum
dativehippopotamōhippopotamīs
accusativehippopotamumhippopotamōs
ablativehippopotamōhippopotamīs
vocativehippopotamehippopotamī

hippŏpŏtămus, i, m., = ἱπποπόταμος,
I. a river - horse, hippopotamus, Plin. 8, 25, 39, § 95; Mel. 1, 9, 3; Amm. 22, 15.

Origins

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

Descendants
  • Catalanhipopòtam
  • Frenchhippopotame
  • Italianippopotamo
  • Occitanipopotam
  • Portuguesehipopótamo
  • Romanianhipopotam
  • Spanishhipopótamo
  • Englishhippopotamus
  • Asturianhipopótamu
  • Leonesehipopótamu

Quick answers

What does hippopotamus mean in Latin?
hippopotamus, a noun, means “a hippopotamus”.
What is the genitive of hippopotamus?
The genitive singular is hippopotamī. hippopotamus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce hippopotamus?
In classical Latin, [hɪp.pɔˈpɔ.ta.mʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ip.poˈpɔː.ta.mus].