Where does “hippopotamus” come from?
hippopotamus (Late Latin) comes from Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος, from Ancient Greek ἵππος, from Proto-Hellenic íkkʷos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- — swift.
hippopotamus (Late Latin): a hippopotamus
Ancestry of “hippopotamus”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ἱπποπόταμος | hippopotamus |
| 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 |
Words derived from “hippopotamus”