| Part of Speech | Definition | |
| Noun Plural | 1. Plural inflection of the noun hippopotamus.[Eve - graph theoretic] | |
| Noun Base (hippopotamus) | 1. Massive thick-skinned herbivorous animal living in or around rivers of tropical Africa.[Wordnet]. 2. A large, amphibious, herbivorous mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius), common in the rivers of Africa. It is allied to the hogs, and has a very thick, naked skin, a thick and square head, a very large muzzle, small eyes and ears, thick and heavy body, and short legs. It is supposed to be the behemoth of the Bible. Called also zeekoe, and river horse. A smaller species (H. Liberiencis) inhabits Western Africa.[Websters]. | |
Sources: compiled from various sources, (under license) copyright 2008. | Top | |
Date "HIPPOPOTAMI" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1747. (references) |
Specialty Definition: hippopotamus
| Domain | Definition | ||
| Noah Webster | [Noun] The river-horse, an animal that inhabits the Nile and other rivers in Africa. This animal resembles a hog rather than a horse, and was named perhaps from his neighing voice. He has been found of the length of 17 feet. He delights in the water, but feeds on herbage on land.. Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary. | ||
| Bible | See Behemoth. (references) | ||
| Wiktionary | [Noun] A large, semi-aquatic, herbivorous (plant-eating) African mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius)that spends most of the day living in water, but comes on to land at night to feed. Of all living land animals, only the elephant is larger. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
Common Expressions: hippopotamus
| Expressions | Definition | ||
| Genus Hippopotamus | Type genus of the Hippopotamidae. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Hippopotamus amphibius | Massive thick-skinned herbivorous animal living in or around rivers of tropical Africa. Source: Wordnet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. | ||
| Hippopotamus Defence | The Hippopotamus Defence is a fringe chess opening for Black. Its first lines are 1. e4 Nh6 2. d4 g6. (references) | ||
| Hippopotamus Rhythm | Hippopotamus Rhythm is a music rhythm based on patterns of a five pulse beat (five subdivisions per downbeat). (references) | ||
| The Hippopotamus | The Hippopotamus is a novel by Stephen Fry. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
