Where does “ippopotamu” come from?

ippopotamu (Maltese) comes from Italian ippopotamo, from Italian ippo-, from Ancient Greek ἵππος, from Proto-Hellenic íkkʷos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- — swift.

ippopotamu (Maltese): hippopotamus

Definitions

  1. hippopotamus

Ancestry of “ippopotamu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianippopotamohippopotamus, hippo
2Italianippo-hippo-
3Ancient Greekἵπποςa horse, a mare; cavalry, horsemen
4Proto-Hellenicíkkʷoshorse
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éḱwosstallion, horse
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁oh₁ḱu-swift
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos →Every word from Proto-Hellenic íkkʷos →