polysyllable

[pol-ee-sil-uh-buhl, pol-ee-sil-]

noun

1. a polysyllabic word.

polysyllable

/ ˈpɒlɪˌsɪləbəl /

noun

1. a word consisting of more than two syllables

Word History and Origins

Origin of polysyllable¹

First recorded in 1560–70; poly- + syllable

Example Sentences

The polysyllables fly fast, then go on to accelerate wildly in “Progressive House, Conservative Ligature” by the Los Angeles rapper Rhys Langston, from a coming album called “Grapefruit Radio.”

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Virgil’s decorous Latin gets translated into a language which calls for eloquent Latinate polysyllables: the Sibyl flings the guard-dog Cerberus “a dumpling of soporific honey”.

Read more on Economist

As a result Keaveny seemed at pains to demonstrate his own intellect, throwing in a polysyllable here and there and talking about "dissemination".

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Apart from keyboard player Chris Pemberton, who hails from Coventry, Grant has multiple Icelandic names to get through, dense with exotic polysyllables.

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They sing about all sorts of things — science, history, relationships, death — while pulling widely assorted styles and stray polysyllables into their new wave rock.

Read more on New York Times