Meanings
plural hippocampi · plural hippocampuses
- human sciencesA mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a fish.
- anatomyA part of the brain located inside the temporal lobe, consisting mainly of grey matter. It is a component of the limbic system and plays a role in memory and emotion.
Holonyms: limbic system < brain < central nervous system, CNS
1 more example
The hippocampus is central to the laying down of memories.
2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 63Synonyms: HIPP
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a fish.
nounA part of the brain located inside the temporal lobe, consisting mainly of grey matter. It is a component of the limbic system and plays a role in memory and emotion.
Origin
- Ancient Greekἱππόκαμπος
- Late Latinhippocampus
- Englishhippocampus
From Late Latin hippocampus, from Ancient Greek ἱππόκαμπος (hippókampos, from ῐ̔́ππος (hĭ́ppos, “horse”) + κάμπος (kámpos, “sea-monster”)). The anatomy sense is so named from its resemblance to the seahorse. By surface analysis, hippo- + campus.
More words from Late Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἱππόκαμπος
- ἱππόκαμπος (hippókampos)mythological creature
Catalan hipocamp
- hipocampbrain region
Chinese Mandarin 海馬 /海马, 海馬體 /海马体
- 海馬 /海马 (hǎimǎ)mythological creature
- 海馬體 /海马体 (hǎimǎtǐ)brain region
- 海馬 /海马 (hǎimǎ)brain region
Czech hipokampus
- hipokampusbrain region
Dutch hippocampus, hippokampos
- hippocampusmythological creature
- hippokamposmythological creature
- hippocampusbrain region
Esperanto hipokampo
- hipokampobrain region
Finnish hippokamppi, aivoturso
- hippokamppimythological creature
- aivotursobrain region
- hippokampusbrain region
French hippocampe, hippocampe
- hippocampemythological creature
- hippocampebrain region
German Hippokamp, Hippocampus
- Hippokampmythological creature
- Hippocampusbrain region
- Ammonshornbrain region
Greek ιππόκαμπος, ιππόκαμπος
- ιππόκαμπος (ippókampos)mythological creature
- ιππόκαμπος (ippókampos)brain region
Indonesian hipokampus
- hipokampusbrain region
Italian ippocampo, ippocampo
- ippocampomythological creature
- ippocampobrain region
Japanese 海馬
- 海馬 (kaiba)brain region
Polish hippokamp, hipokamp
- hippokampmythological creature
- hipokampbrain region
Portuguese hipocampo, hipocampo
- hipocampomythological creature
- hipocampobrain region
Romanian hipocamp, hipocamp
- hipocampmythological creature
- hipocampbrain region
Russian гиппока́мп
- гиппока́мп (gippokámp)mythological creature
Spanish hipocampo, hipocampo
- hipocampomythological creature
- hipocampobrain region
Turkish hipokampus
- hipokampusbrain region
Ukrainian гіпока́мп, гіпока́мп
- гіпока́мп (hipokámp)mythological creature
- гіпока́мп (hipokámp)brain region
Vietnamese hồi hải mã
- hồi hải mãbrain region
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with hippocampus
All rhymes →Cite this entry
hippocampus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hippocampus
“hippocampus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hippocampus. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hippocampus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hippocampus.
Source: hippocampus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.