polysyllabic

American  

[pol-ee-si-lab-ik] / ˌpɒl i sɪˈlæb ɪk /

Sometimes polysyllabical

adjective

1. consisting of several, especially four or more, syllables, as a word.

2. characterized by such words, as a language, piece of writing, etc.

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polysyllabic British  

/ ˌpɒlɪsɪˈlæbɪk /

adjective

1. consisting of more than two syllables

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Other Word Forms

• hyperpolysyllabic adjective
• hyperpolysyllabically adverb
• polysyllabically adverb

Etymology

Origin of polysyllabic

1650–60; < Medieval Latin polysyllab ( us ) of many syllables (< Greek polysýllabos ) + -ic. See poly-, syllabic

Explanation

Polysyllabic words have many syllables. The word librarian is polysyllabic, but the word book is not. You can use the polysyllabic word polysyllabic for a word with more than one syllable, but it generally refers to words with more than three, like hippopotamus and misunderstanding. Sometimes people also describe long speeches or books full of unnecessarily big words as polysyllabic: "I got very sleepy listening to his polysyllabic lecture on philosophy." The Greek roots of this word are poly-, "many," and syllabe, "a syllable."

Example Sentences

This included highly wrought confessional lyrics, long polysyllabic song titles, and the conjunction of hard, even thrash-derived sounds like a screamed chorus with much softer instrumental passages.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2022

The diminutive “Cali” is one of the most commonly used substitutions for the polysyllabic state name.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2022

John Bercow, the carnival barker of “Order! Order!” and the master of the polysyllabic put-down, retired as speaker last week after a decade overseeing debate in the chamber.

From Washington Post • Nov. 4, 2019

It grabbed every polysyllabic word and ambient alliteration available and turned it up to 12.

From The Verge • Nov. 13, 2018

So many words were still unknown that when the butcher or the lady at the drugstore said something to me, exotic polysyllabic sounds would bloom in the midst of their sentences.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez