hippopotamus

[hip-uh-pot-uh-muhs] / ˌhɪp əˈpɒt ə məs /

NOUN

pachyderm

Synonyms

STRONG

elephant mammoth mastodon rhinoceros

NOUN

ungulate

Synonyms

STRONG

buffalo camel cattle cow deer elephant giraffe hog horse llama pig rhinoceros swine tapir

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A $31.4 million bar cart shaped like a hippopotamus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

Researchers examined numerous hippopotamus fossils using both genetic and radiocarbon dating methods.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2025

A baby hippopotamus is causing a fan frenzy in Thailand.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2024

The hippopotamus is native to sub-Saharan Africa, dwelling in rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2024

Water without a hippopotamus was so much more manageable than water with one.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel