- short for hippopotamus
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
hip•po
(hip′ō),USA pronunciation n., pl. -pos. [Informal.]
Hip•po (hip′ō),USA pronunciation n.
hippo-,
- Mammals, Informal Termshippopotamus.
- by shortening
Hip•po (hip′ō),USA pronunciation n.
- Ancient History, Place NamesSee Hippo Regius.
hippo-,
- a combining form appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant "horse'' (hippodrome);
on this model, used in the formation of compound words (hippology).
- Greek: combining form of híppos; cognate with Latin equus, Old Irish ech, Old English eoh, Sanskrit aśvas, Lithuanian aŝvà
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
hippo /ˈhɪpəʊ/ n ( pl -pos) informal
'hippo' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Annaba
- Augustine
- Augustinian
- Hippo Regius
- Numidia
- Bizerte
- City of God, The
- hipp-
- hippocampus
- hippodrome
- hippogriff
- hippology
- hippophagy
- hippophile
- Hippo Zarytus
- hippus