antidisestablishmentarian

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent-

Proto-Indo-European *-s

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts

Proto-Indo-European *-i

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti

Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́)

Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-)der.

English anti-

Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁

▲

Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu.

Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is-

Proto-Italic *dis-

Latin dis-

Old French des-bor.

▲

Latin dis-bor.

Middle English dis-

English dis-

Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti

Proto-Indo-European *-yeti

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti

Proto-Indo-European *sth₂éh₁yeti

Proto-Italic *staējō

Proto-Italic *staēō

Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom

Proto-Italic *-ðlom

Proto-Italic *-ðlis

Proto-Italic *staðlis?

Latin stabilis

Proto-Indo-European *-yétider.

Latin -iō

Latin stabilīre

Old French establir

Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥

Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom

Proto-Italic *-mentom

Latin -mentum

Old French -ment

Old French establissementbor.

Middle English stablishment

English establishment

▲

English dis-

▲

English establish

▲

English -ment

English disestablishment

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-os?

Proto-Indo-European *-o-

Proto-Indo-European *-so-

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂so-

Proto-Indo-European *-yós

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós

Proto-Italic *-āsijos

Proto-Italic *-āsios

Latin -āriusder.

Middle English -arie

English -ary

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nosder.

Proto-Italic *-ānos

Latin -ānus

Old French -ainder.

Middle English -an

English -an

English -arian

English antidisestablishmentarian

From anti- + disestablishment + -arian.

Pronunciation

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Noun

antidisestablishmentarian (plural antidisestablishmentarians)

1. One who believes that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state. [hapax legomenon from 19th c.]
   • 1892, letter of Edward White Benson, quoted in James Anderson Carr, The life-work of Edward White Benson, D.D., sometime Archbishop of Canterbury. London: Elliot Stock, 1898.

     But the Free Kirk of the north of Scotland are strong anti-Disestablishmentarians. A meeting for Disestablishment can't be got up, even by popular Ministers.

   • 1900 letter to Pall Mall Gazette

     A correspondent gives "nonintercommunicability" as the longest word In the English language. While reading the life of Archbishop Benson I came across the following extract from his diary for September, 1892 (page 411): "But the free kirk of the north of Scotland are strong antidisestablishmentarians"—ten syllables, twenty-six letters!

Translations

one who believes that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state

• Finnish: valtiokirkon puolustaja

Adjective

antidisestablishmentarian (comparative more antidisestablishmentarian, superlative most antidisestablishmentarian)

1. Of or relating to the belief that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state.

Related terms

• antidisestablishmentarianism