“Hippocrene” came directly into English from the Greek “Hippokrēnē,” referring to the legend of Pegasus’ hoof opening a fountain spring on Mount Helicon, which was sacred to Greek muses. Because “hippos” means “horse” and “krēnē” means “fountain,” the literal translation of “Hippokrēnē” is “fountain of the horse.” Most uses of the adjective “hippocrene” treat it as a sort of poetic inspiration that can be drunk like water from a spring.