Where does “hippopotamus” come from?

hippopotamus (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 (Latin): a hippopotamus

Definitions

  1. a hippopotamus

Ancestry of “hippopotamus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekἱπποπόταμοςhippopotamus
2Ancient Greekἵπποςa horse, a mare; cavalry, horsemen
3Proto-Hellenicíkkʷoshorse
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éḱwosstallion, horse
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁oh₁ḱu-swift

Words derived from “hippopotamus

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwosEvery word from Proto-Hellenic íkkʷos