Monday, April 20, 2009

What is the etymology of "hippopotamus"?


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Why: Yesterday, 14 horses died just before a polo match in Florida. The study of horses is hippology, but a "hippo" is not a horse.

Answer: Latin, from Greek: hippos, "horse" + potamos, "river"

Source: Answers.com

The More You Know: A group of hippopotami is called a bloat. A group of jellyfish is called a smack. A group of mice is called a mischief.