sesquipedalian
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Lit. “a foot and a half long”.
From sesqui-, from Latin sesqui (“one and a half”); + pedal, from Latin pedis, form of pes (“foot”), + adjective suffix -alis; + adjective suffix -ian.
Cognate to French sesquipédal, Latin sesquipedalis.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
sesquipedalian (plural sesquipedalians)
- A person who uses long words.
- A long word.
[edit] Adjective
sesquipedalian (comparative more sesquipedalian, superlative most sesquipedalian)
- (of a word or words) long; polysyllabic.
- More people know the sesquipedalian word "antidisestablishmentarianism" than know what it means.
- Pertaining to or given to the use of overly long words.
- Our dinner guest was so sesquipedalian that no one could understand what he said.
[edit] Synonyms
- (of long words): polysyllabic
- (given to the use of long words): bombastic, grandiloquent, long-winded, florid
[edit] Antonyms
- (of long words): monosyllabic, brachysyllabic
- (given to the use of long words): brief, terse, laconic
[edit] Translations
of long words
|
|
given to the use of long words
|
|
[edit] Derived terms
- sesquipedalianism — Literary style characterised by the use of long words.
- sesquipedalianist — A writer using sesquipedalianism
