Hippopotamus Plural
Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus Plural – ‘Hippopotamus’ or ‘Hippopotami’?

(Last Updated On: April 9, 2021)

The hippopotamus plural is hippopotamuses. People sometimes say the plural of hippopotamus is hippopotami.

Technically, you can use hippopotamus or hippopotami to be accurate. This is not too comfortable for many people, since both of us feel a bit confusing.

The hippopotamus is probably the safest to take.

Hippopotamus plural

Hippopotamus plural

‘Hippopotamus’ or ‘hippopotami’?

Dictionaries list both plurals, and both variants appear regularly in writing as you will see today.

The word is originally from Greek where it means “river horse” and it came from Latin through English.

Hippopotamus is the best choice.

Hippopotamus appears in the correct Latin plural form and still in regular scientific writing, but words in English may spread their Latin plural and take more Anglicized -s or -es form, and hippopotamuses are often seen in books and newspapers.

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