hippo

noun

hip·​po ˈhi-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce hippo (audio)
plural hippos

Examples of hippo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet their answers - the camel, hippo, phoenix, and lion - were anything but whimsical. Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 According to a 2022 study conducted by Ivory Coast college researchers, the hippo is cited most frequently in collisions that cause death or injury to humans in the country. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 Rare baby hippo Mars showed the world that maternal authority has no bounds. Eric Noll, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2025 Denver Zoo’s only hippo will move to the Lone Star State this fall so the organization can conserve water and update the hippo exhibit, which no longer meets certification standards. Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hippo

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hippo was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Hippo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hippo. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

hippo

noun
hip·​po ˈhip-ō How to pronounce hippo (audio)
plural hippos

Geographical Definition

Hippo

geographical name

Hip·​po ˈhi-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce Hippo (audio)
variants or Hippo Regius
ˈrē-jəs How to pronounce Hippo (audio)
-jē-əs
ancient city in northern Africa south of modern Annaba, Algeria; chief town of Numidia

More from Merriam-Webster on hippo

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