polysyllabic

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English

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Etymology

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From poly- +‎ syllabic.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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polysyllabic (not comparable)

  1. (of a word) Having more than one syllable; having multiple or many syllables.
    "Antidisestablishmentarianism" definitely qualifies as a polysyllabic word.
  2. (of spoken or written language) Characterized by or consisting of words having numerous syllables.
    I have a particularly off-putting predilection for the utilization of ponderously polysyllabic linguistic constructions.

Usage notes

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Authoritative sources disagree concerning the precise number of syllables needed for a word to count as polysyllabic. The references cited below variously stipulate anywhere from more than one syllable to four or more. In general usage, a polysyllabic word is a word which is regarded as lengthy and polysyllabic writing or speech is often regarded as elaborate, overly lengthy, or excessively complex.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Translations

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Noun

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polysyllabic (plural polysyllabics)

  1. A word having more than one syllable

References

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