Basic Details
Word: Hippopotamus
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A large, thick-skinned animal that mainly lives in rivers and lakes in Africa.
Synonyms: Hippo
Antonyms: N/A
Idioms and Phrases
- Hippopotamus in the room: Refers to an obvious problem or issue that people do not want to discuss. Example: "We need to address the hippopotamus in the room and talk about our budget cuts."
- Get out of the water when the hippopotamus comes: A warning to avoid danger. Example: "When things got heated in the debate, she decided to get out of the water when the hippopotamus came!"
Usage Examples
Example 1: The hippopotamus is one of the largest land mammals, spending most of its day submerged in water to keep cool.
Example 2: At the safari park, we spotted a hippopotamus lounging near the shore of the lake.
Example 3: Hippopotamuses can be very aggressive and should be watched from a safe distance while on a river tour.
Fun Fact
Did you know that the word "hippopotamus" comes from the ancient Greek words meaning "river horse"? Despite their size, they can run surprisingly fast on land at speeds up to 30 km/h!
Famous Quote
"The hippopotamus, who is a water horse, has a childish gleam and sunny disposition." - Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "hippopotamus" mean?
a) A small river fish
b) A large river-dwelling animal
c) A type of bird
d) A kind of tree
Answer: b) A large river-dwelling animal
2. Which of these is a synonym of "hippopotamus"?
a) Rhino
b) Elephant
c) Hippo
d) Crocodile
Answer: c) Hippo
3. Which sentence uses "hippopotamus" correctly?
a) The hippopotamus flew over the mountains.
b) The hippopotamus spent most of its time in the cool water.
c) The hippopotamus danced at the festival.
d) The hippopotamus climbed a tree to escape.
Answer: b) The hippopotamus spent most of its time in the cool water.
4. Which idiom talks about an obvious issue?
a) Get out of the water when the hippopotamus comes
b) Hippopotamus in the room
c) As busy as a bee
d) Elephant in the room
Answer: b) Hippopotamus in the room
5. What is the opposite of "hippopotamus"?
a) N/A
b) Ant
c) Tiger
d) Whale
Answer: a) N/A
