Is it hippopotamus or hippopotami?
Even though the noun hippopotamus has a Greek root, it is often assigned the Latin plural hippopotami. So, the plural form hippopotami is technically an error.
Why is the hippopotamus endangered?
They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth. The Latin word hippopotamus is derived from the ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος, hippopótamos, from ἵππος, híppos, "horse", and ποταμός, potamós, "river", meaning "horse of the river". In English, the plural is "hippopotamuses", but "hippopotami" is also used.
What is the average size of a hippopotamus?
Hippos measure 2.90 to 5.05 m (9.5 to 16.6 ft) long, including a tail of about 35 to 56 cm (1.15 to 1.84 ft) in length and 1.30 to 1.65 m (4.3 to 5.4 ft) tall at the shoulder.
What is the genus of a pygmy hippopotamus?
Hippopotamus is the type genus of the family Hippopotamidae. The pygmy hippopotamus belongs to a different genus in Hippopotamidae, either Choeropsis or Hexaprotodon. Hippopotamidae are sometimes known as hippopotamids.
What is the correct plural of hippopotamus?
noun. hip·po·pot·a·mus | \ ˌhi-pə-ˈpä-tə-məs \ plural hippopotamuses or hippopotami\ ˌhi-pə-ˈpä-tə-ˌmī , -(ˌ)mē \
Is the word hippopotamus singular or plural?
The plural of hippopotamus is hippopotamuses or hippopotami.
What do you call multiple hippopotamus?
Why a group of hippos is called a bloat.
What is the plural platypus?
noun. platy·pus | \ ˈpla-ti-pəs , -ˌpu̇s \ plural platypuses also platypi\ ˈpla-ti-ˌpī , -ˌpē \
What is the plural of octopuses?
Octopuses ✅ “Octopuses” gives the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word. Generally, when a noun enters into English, it is pluralized as an English word rather than in its original form. Octopuses may sound peculiar to some, but this is the preferred plural.
What is the plural of moose?
Plural. moose or mooses. A drawing of a moose.
What is a group of alligators called?
A convocation of eagles It typically refers to an important gathering. The US Fish & Wildlife Service asks: “What is more important than [a gathering of] the symbol of our country?” Interestingly, a group of alligators is also referred to as a congregation.
What is a herd of zebras called?
What is a group of zebras called? A dazzle of zebras is the most common collective noun, named for the motion dazzle effect created by a group of running zebras. A group of zebras can also be called a herd of zebras or a zeal of zebras, but those aren't quite as much fun.
What is singular for hippopotamuses?
Explanation: Hippopotamus is singular while Hippopotami or, the more commonly used, Hippopotamuses is plural.
What is the plural for giraffe?
giraffesgiraffe Definitions and Synonyms singulargiraffepluralgiraffes
What is the plural of kangaroo?
noun. kan·ga·roo | \ ˌkaŋ-gə-ˈrü \ plural kangaroos.
When was the word "hippopotamus" first used?
The first time that you can see the English word hippopotamus being used was back in 1542 . The word moves from Greek to Latin before it was used in the English language. This was was an alternative word from the Greek “hippos potamios” which meant riverine horse.
What is a hippopotamid?
Any of a family (Hippopotamidae) of very large, four-toed, chiefly aquatic, herbivorous artiodactyl mammals having a very large head and mouth, nearly hairless thick grayish skin, long lower canine teeth, and relatively short legs, and including two living species:
Where are hippos found?
Currently there are two different species of hippos, the common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippopotamus. They both can be found in Africa but there is also a growing population of hippos in Colombia, hold onto that fact for a bit later in this article. In history, people thought that the hippo was closely related to the pig but now it is believed to be closest to whales and dolphins.
Is it important to know the plural form of a word?
Finding the correct plural forms of words is an important step to becoming well educated. Now you are an expert on all things related to the word hippopotamus. Next time you need to write the word hippopotamus, you will be well prepared for everything you need to know what it is and how to do it efficiently.
Is "hippopotamus" plural or singular?
Since the word hippopotamus comes from Greek instead of Latin, the correct pluralization would be hippopotamuses. This is similar to the plural form of octopus being octopuses, although many believed and taught that octopi was the correct form, they incorrectly tried to tie it to a Latin word with a Latin plural when it also was a Greek word originally. The correct form of octopus, if we wanted to stick to the root language’s rules for pluralization would be octopode. So therefore, the correct plural of hippopotamus is not hippopotami.
What is a hippopotamus?
: a large African animal that has an extremely large head and mouth and short legs and that spends most of its time in water. See the full definition for hippopotamus in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
How much does a hippopotamus weigh?
a : one (Hippopotamus amphibius) of sub-Saharan Africa that has webbing between the toes, spends most of the day in or near water, and typically weighs between 3 to 4 tons (2700 to 3600 kilograms) b : pygmy hippopotamus.
What is the Greek word for the horses of the river?
Well, “the horses of the river” in Greek would be “oi ippoi apo tou potamou”. Literally, “The horses from the river”. I guess “hippopotamus” is a compound word that is pluralized as its own entity.
Is "octopus" plural or singular?
It is a popular and well-known fact that the correct plural for “octopus” is not “octopi,” but “octopuses” or “octopodes.” This is because the word “octopus” is Greek in origin, not Latin, and the Greek word for the word “pos” (foot) is “podes.”
Is the word "hippopotamus" correct?
‘Hippoipotamus’ is strictly correct, I believe, but since many Greek words were incorporated into Latin in Ancient times, words with Greek roots can also be used with Latin inflections. The same can be said for ‘hippocampus’, of which there are two in the brain , so these should perhaps be known as the ‘hippoicampus’ but here too one sees ‘hippocampi’ written.
What is the plural of pous podos?
Corresponding to Greek pous podos, the plural is -odes. Similar is Greek Nyx Nyktes, plural is -es. Note the full stem in the plural.
Which language uses the original plural form?
Words of Latin and Greek origin may use the original plural form or follow English plural formation rules.
What is the Greek word for foot?
By the way, the Modern Greek for “foot” is [το] πόδι ( [to] podi) and the plural is [τα] πόδια ( [ta] podia),
What is the plural of "zeus"?
Corresponding to Greek Zeus Di (w)os, plural is -es (as in *Zeues or *Di (w)es, both totally my guess, but plausible since plural Zeus means multiple statues of Zeus).
Is "index" plural or singular?
It has become increasingly common to form plurals using the standard rules of English, rather than using Latin plural forms that don’t follow those rules. Thus, while many of us would prefer to say indices, it is now quite acceptable to say indexes, which will at some future point become the only correct plural. Similarly, syllabuses is acceptable (though not yet preferred), and so are octopuses and hippopotamuses. Ugh!
Is "octopodes" correct?
Octopodes ( pronounced ok-TOP-oh-dees) is actually the technically ‘correct’ form in terms of etymology. It’s even said to be used by something like 15% of British English speakers, especially those involved in the fishing industry. But according to most English speakers that form is really bizarre, even if it’s arguably ‘correct’, and it might not even be understood. (By the way, another similar option octopods is the plural for another word, octopod, referring to the class of mollusks including species of octopus and other related species, so that’s not an option either.) So are we out of options?
Is "octopi" a plural word?
Note: It grieves me to say that Merriam-Webster admits octopi as a correct plural form, attested from the early nineteenth century. It was also incorrect then, of course. :)
What do you say when someone says "hippopotami"?
Generally, we stick with "Hippos", or say "Hippopotami? Hippopotamuses?" and then have a fun 5 minutes where everyone nearby discusses it.
What is the plural form of "virus"?
Also, there's a good Wikipedia article about this topic: Plural form of words ending in -us... and the plural of virusis virusesand for bonusit's bonuses.
What is the plural of antenna?
Latin and Greek plurals are primarilyjargon used in scientific or academic work. For example, antennae, the Latin plural of antenna, is preferred in entomology, but the English plural antennasis more common in popular and informal writing.
What was Latin used for?
From about 800 to 1800 C.E., Latin was the international language of Europe and the main language of science, law, administration, scholarship, and religion. Latin had several advantages that made it well suited for these roles. It was nobody's native language, so no one country "owned" it. If you went to a university, you learned Latin, and you spoke in Latin at the university, at least during classes and lectures—even in your native country. Latin was defined by a written tradition going all the way back to ancient Rome. This made Latin remarkably stable. While its vocabulary grew, its core changed very little over the centuries—much less than vernacular languages that people learn as their mother tongue.
Is "hippopotamus" a Latin word?
Hippopotamusis a Latin wordthat has been imported into English. In Latin, its plural is hippopotami. In English, we sometimes still use the Latin plural. Like many unusual and interesting English words, it was first coined in Greek and later absorbed into Latin. In Greek, it was hippopótamos, with plural hippopótamoi.
Is hippopotamia more common than hippopotamuses?
As shown on this graph, hippopotamiwas much more common than hippopotamusesfor most of the last 300 years, but today they're about equally common. Some people would say that this proves scientifically that both are now equally "correct" or "acceptable". I hope that you won't think that way. I consider that pseudo-science. When using a Latin plural, you should simply be aware that that's what you're doing. As you find Latin plurals used, or not used, in different situations, you should develop some feeling for how different people in different situations perceive them.
Is "hippopotamuses" plural or singular?
According to Oxford Dictionaries online,, "hippopotamuses" is the preferred plural. This article on oxforddictionaries.comdeprecates "hippopotami" . (It also discusses "cactus" and a few other "-us" words.)
Where is the hippopotamus native to?
The hippopotamus ( / ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs / HIP-ə-POT-ə-məs; Hippopotamus amphibius ), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus or river hippopotamus, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus ( Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis ). The name comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse" ( ἱπποπόταμος ).
What are the closest relatives of hippos?
Several lines of evidence, first from blood proteins, then from molecular systematics and DNA and the fossil record, show that their closest living relatives are cetaceans ( whales, dolphins, and porpoises ).
What are hippos famous for?
Ever since Obaysch inspired the "Hippopotamus Polka", hippos have been popular animals in Western culture for their rotund appearance that many consider comical. Stories of hippos such as Huberta, which became a celebrity in South Africa in the 1930s for trekking across the country; or the tale of Owen and Mzee, a hippo and tortoise which developed an intimate bond; have amused people who have bought hippo books, merchandise, and many stuffed hippo toys. Hippos were mentioned in the novelty Christmas song " I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas " that became a hit for child star Gayla Peevey in 1953. They also feature in the songs "The Hippopotamus" and "Hippo Encore" by Flanders and Swann, with the famous refrain "Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud". They even inspired a popular board game, Hungry Hungry Hippos.
How far back did hippos diverge?
While the fossil record of hippos is still poorly understood, the two modern genera, Hippopotamus and Choeropsis (sometimes Hexaprotodon ), may have diverged as far back as 8 million years ago . Taxonomists disagree whether or not the modern pygmy hippopotamus is a member of Hexaprotodon —an apparently paraphyletic genus, also embracing many extinct Asian hippopotamuses, that is more closely related to Hippopotamus —or of Choeropsis, an older and basal genus.
How did the Malagasy hippopotamus go extinct?
Three species of Malagasy hippopotamus became extinct during the Holocene on Madagascar, one of them within the past 1,000 years. The Malagasy hippos were smaller than the modern hippo, likely through the process of insular dwarfism. Fossil evidence indicates many Malagasy hippos were hunted by humans, a likely factor in their eventual extinction. Isolated members of Malagasy hippos may have survived in remote pockets; in 1976, villagers described a living animal called the kilopilopitsofy, which may have been a Malagasy hippo.
Why are hippo populations declining?
The decline is attributed to the disruptions caused by the Second Congo War. The poachers are believed to be Mai-Mai rebels, poorly paid Congolese soldiers, and local militia groups. Reasons for poaching include the belief that hippos are harmful to society, as well as financial gain. However, as of 2016, the Virunga hippo population appears to have increased, possibly due to greater enforcement and cooperation between fishermen and park authorities. The sale of hippo meat is illegal, but black-market sales are difficult for Virunga National Park officers to track. Hippo meat is considered a delicacy in some areas of central Africa and the teeth have become a valued substitute for elephant ivory.
How fast can a hippos run?
Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h (19 mp h) over short distances. Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps, where territorial males preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to thirty females and young hippos.
