sesquipedalian
[ ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn ]
/ ˌsɛs kwɪ pɪˈdeɪ li ən, -ˈdeɪl yən /
adjective Also ses·quip·e·dal [ses-kwip-i-dl]. /sɛsˈkwɪp ɪ dl/.
given to using long words.
(of a word) containing many syllables.
noun
a sesquipedalian word.
VIDEO FOR SESQUIPEDALIAN
WATCH NOW: These Long Words Are Nearly Impossible To Pronounce
Dictionary.com presents another episode in our "Words That Are Really Hard to Pronounce!" series! It's time for the long words. Can you pronounce them correctly?
QUIZZES
BEAT THE DOLDRUMS WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!
We know you’ll tackle this quiz totis viribus! See how many words from the week of Oct 12–18, 2020 you get right!
Question 1 of 7
What does “Indigenous” mean?
Origin of sesquipedalian
OTHER WORDS FROM sesquipedalian
ses·qui·pe·dal·i·ty [ses-kwi-pi-dal-i-tee], /ˌsɛs kwɪ pɪˈdæl ɪ ti/, ses·qui·pe·da·li·an·ism, ses·quip·e·dal·ism [ses-kwip-i-dl-iz-uhm, ‐kwi-peed-l-iz-uhm], /sɛsˈkwɪp ɪ dlˌɪz əm, ‐kwɪˈpid lˌɪz əm/, nounun·ses·qui·pe·da·li·an, adjectiveWords nearby sesquipedalian
sesquialtera, sesquicarbonate, sesquicentennial, sesquihydrate, sesquioxide, sesquipedalian, sesquiplane, sesquiterpene, Sesshu, sessile, sessile oak
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for sesquipedalian
British Dictionary definitions for sesquipedalian
sesquipedalian
less commonly sesquipedal (sɛsˈkwɪpədəl)
/ (ˌsɛskwɪpɪˈdeɪlɪən) /
adjective
tending to use very long words
(of words or expressions) long and ponderous; polysyllabic
noun
a polysyllabic word
Derived forms of sesquipedalian
sesquipedalianism, nounWord Origin for sesquipedalian
C17: from Latin sēsquipedālis of a foot and a half (coined by Horace in Ars Poetica), from sesqui- + pedālis of the foot, from pēs foot
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012