/ ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs; NAmE -ˈpɑːtə-/ (also informal hippo ) noun
( pl. hippo·pot·amuses / -məsɪz; NAmE / or hip·po·pot·ami / -maɪ; NAmE /) a large heavy African animal with thick dark skin and short legs, that lives in rivers and lakes
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : via Latin from Greek hippopotamos , earlier hippos ho potamios river horse (from hippos horse, potamos river).