1 pygmy hippopotamus | Definition of pygmy hippopotamus
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pygmy hippopotamus

noun

Definition of pygmy hippopotamus

: a small hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis synonym Choeropsis liberiensis) of western Africa and especially Liberia that may reach a weight of nearly 600 pounds (270 kilograms)

Note: In addition to its smaller size, the pygmy hippopotamus differs from the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in being nocturnal and less aquatic and in having a rounder head with the eyes set to the sides, less webbing between the toes, and only one pair of lower incisor teeth.

Examples of pygmy hippopotamus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 The country's rapidly disappearing forests are home to Western chimpanzees, classified as critically endangered since 2016, forest elephants, and the rare pygmy hippopotamus. — Tim Cocks And Ange Aboa, The Christian Science Monitor, "Ivory Coast, chocolate giants team up to make cocoa production more sustainable," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pygmy hippopotamus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pygmy hippopotamus

1874, in the meaning defined above

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