French word

hippocampe

Pronunciation

IPA/ipokɑ̃p/

Meaning

  • masculine nounseahorse

Example

Regarde l'hippocampe dans l'aquarium.

Look at the seahorse in the aquarium.

Illustration for hippocampe (seahorse)

More examples

Ma fille adore les hippocampes en peluche.

My daughter adores stuffed seahorses.

Core concept

A small horse-like sea creature with a long snout and gripping curled tail, a shape also given to a curved brain structure.

Similar words

cheval de mer: A familiar name for a small marine creature with a horse-like face and curling tail.
poisson: An animal that lives in water, breathes through gills, and moves with fins.

Definition in French

Désigne un petit poisson marin au museau allongé et à la queue préhensile; le même mot sert aussi en anatomie pour une structure cérébrale.

Word origin

French hippocampe comes from Latin hippocampus, borrowed from Greek hippokampos, a compound of hippos, 'horse', and kampos, 'sea monster'.

Usage tips

  • The noun is masculine despite its final e, so the forms are un hippocampe and l'hippocampe.

Other meanings

  • hippocampusnoun

Word lists with this word