from where did it get its name?
It is derived from the ancient Greek.
Hippopotamus
The Latin word "hippopotamus" is derived from the ancient Greek , "hippopótamos", from , "híppos", "horse", and , "potamós", "river", meaning "horse of the river
what is hippopotamus? It is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa.
wiki:19582691
Hippopotamus [SEP] Etymology
The Latin word "hippopotamus" is derived from the ancient Greek , "hippopótamos", from , "híppos", "horse", and , "potamós", "river", meaning "horse of the river". In English, the plural is "hippopotamuses", but "hippopotami" is also used; "hippos" can be used as a short plural. Hippos are gregarious, living in groups of up to thirty animals. A group is called a pod, herd, dale, or bloat.