hippopotamus

/ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/

//ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"hippopotamus" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hippopotamus” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #49,394. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#49,394
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A semi-aquatic, herbivorous, African hoofed mammal of the family Hippopotamidae.

Key facts for hippopotamus
PropertyValue
Headwordhippopotamus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/
Letters12
Frequency rank#49,394
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hippopotamus” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). hippopotamus lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around hippopotamus (IPA /ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #49,394 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for hippopotamus, with forms such as "hhippopotamus", "hipopotamus", and "hipoppotamus". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin and New Latin hippopotamus, from Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, “horse”) (English hippo-) + ποταμός (potamós, “river”). Displaced nicker, from Old English nicor. The correct English form is hippopotamus, spelled H-I-P-P-O-P-O-T-A-M-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A semi-aquatic, herbivorous, African hoofed mammal of the family Hippopotamidae.
  2. 2
    The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)

Etymology

From Latin and New Latin hippopotamus, from Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, “horse”) (English hippo-) + ποταμός (potamós, “river”). Displaced nicker, from Old English nicor.

This word in other languages

hipopótamo(Español)hippopotame(Français)Flusspferd(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hhippopotamus
  • hipopotamus
  • hipoppotamus
  • hippooptamus
  • hippopoatmus
  • hippopotammus
  • hippopotamsu
  • hippopotamuss
  • hippopotaums
  • hippopotmaus
  • hippopottamus
  • hippoppotamus
  • hippoptoamus
  • hipppootamus
  • hpipopotamus
  • ihppopotamus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hippopotamus - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

hhippopotamus1hipopotamus1hipoppotamus2hippooptamus2hippopoatmus2hippopotammus1hippopotamsu2hippopotamuss1
Edit distance from "hippopotamus"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hippopotamus"?
"hippopotamus" is spelled H-I-P-P-O-P-O-T-A-M-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/.
What does "hippopotamus" mean?
As a noun, "hippopotamus" means: A semi-aquatic, herbivorous, African hoofed mammal of the family Hippopotamidae.
What are common misspellings of "hippopotamus"?
Common misspellings include "hhippopotamus", "hipopotamus", "hipoppotamus", "hippooptamus", "hippopoatmus". The correct spelling is "hippopotamus".
How do you pronounce "hippopotamus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hippopotamus" is /ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "hippopotamus"?
From Latin and New Latin hippopotamus, from Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, “horse”) (English hippo-) + ποταμός (potamós, “river”). Displaced nicker, from Old English nicor. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “hippopotamus”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-I-P-P-O-P-O-T-A-M-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌhɪp.əˈpɒt.ə.məs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list