What is the plural of the word hippopotamus?

I always thought it was hippopotami,you know, like octopi or cacti

rsgf01313, Type word or phrase Home Explore  Language questions  The English language  What are the plurals of ‘octopus’, ‘hippopotamus’, ‘syllabus’? What are the plurals of ‘octopus’, ‘hippopotamus’, ‘syllabus’? English words of Latin or Greek origin have rather unpredictable plurals, and each one usually depends on how well established that particular word is. It may also depend on whether the Latin or Greek form of the plural is either easily recognizable or pleasant to the speaker of English. Although it is often supposed that octopi is the ‘correct’ plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its ‘correct’ plural would logically be octopodes. Other words ending in -us show a very varied pattern. Like octopi, the plural hippopotami is now generally taken to be either funny or absurdly pedantic, and the usual plural is hippopotamuses

People, everyone is nitpicking about spelling. Geez! My jaw-dropping discovery is their closest relatives are whales and porpoises! Wild!

I say "hippos". I don't remember the game Hungry Hungry Hippopotamuses lol

Thought it was hippopotami.

all the answers just made me laugh.

hippopotomi should be an option

Absolutely hippopotami

I’ll just stick to ‘hippos’

hippopotomi is the correct plural for a hippopotomus

Yeah I totally agree surely it’s hippotami

Biggest killer of humans in Africa

JayMo, As will I.

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Cannot believe that this question is Spelling Bee all over again

Denise Lentz, Both of them are acceptable terms but the author of this question prefers the other word for Hippopotami.

Denise Lentz, I was also looking for that option.Was not there so I selected the other possible plural.

Denise Lentz, thats what i learned in grade school too.in the early60s.

Player #5829699, me too lol 🤣

Denise Lentz, Yes I think it is

Moogirl61, read the answer again. hippotami is also accepted .

Denise Lentz, me too, I reckon this is an Americanism. QuizzlAnd American by any chance?

Denise Lentz, that's what I was taught too.

Denise Lentz, thought so, too.

plural of "us" is i

Denise Lentz, All three words you mention are Greek in origin. Hippopotamus, Hippopotamuses. Octopus, Octopuses. Cactus, Cactuses. Only Latin-based words are pluralised with an 'I'. We do say Cacti though, as Latin adopted this word form the Greek, for those plants as well. So it has become more common to say Cacti.

the answers baffled my brain !! just staring at them saying hippopotamus over and over again.... !!

Delta Tango, whine much?

RiakX, k

Denise Lentz, so did I and the choice was not there .

Denise Lentz, yeah, that's what I was looking for as the answer.

The plural of hippopotamus is actually hippopotami!

that is incorrect

Denise Lentz, hhkdv ho kf