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Stage 1 of 4
hippos
Greek · ancient
"horse"
horse, combined with potamos (river) to name the river animal
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Stage 2 of 4
hippopotamos
Greek · ancient
"river horse"
river horse, describing the large aquatic mammal
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Stage 3 of 4
hippopotamus
Latin · ancient
"the large aquatic mammal"
carried into Latin for the large aquatic mammal
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Stage 4 of 4
hippopotamus
English · 1600s
"a large, thick-skinned river-dwelling mammal"
settled as the English word for the large river-dwelling mammal
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