Where does “ippopotamo” come from?
ippopotamo (Italian) comes from Italian ippo-, from Ancient Greek ἵππος, from Proto-Hellenic íkkʷos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- — swift.
ippopotamo (Italian): hippopotamus, hippo
Ancestry of “ippopotamo”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Italian | ippo- | hippo- |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἵππος | a horse, a mare; cavalry, horsemen |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | íkkʷos | horse |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁éḱwos | stallion, horse |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁oh₁ḱu- | swift |