sesquipedalian

American  

[ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn] / ˌsɛs kwɪ pɪˈdeɪ li ən, -ˈdeɪl yən /

adjective

1. given to using long words.

2. (of a word) containing many syllables.

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noun

1. a sesquipedalian word.

sesquipedalian British  

/ sɛsˈkwɪpədəl, ˌsɛskwɪpɪˈdeɪlɪən /

adjective

1. tending to use very long words

2. (of words or expressions) long and ponderous; polysyllabic

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noun

1. a polysyllabic word

Other Word Forms

• sesquipedalianism noun
• sesquipedalism noun
• sesquipedality noun
• unsesquipedalian adjective

Etymology

Origin of sesquipedalian

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin sesquipedālis “measuring a foot and a half ”( sesqui-, pedal ) + -ian

Example Sentences

By the way, this is sometimes known in more general circles as sesquipedalian loquaciousness.

From US News • May 26, 2016

The film looks longingly toward a time when sesquipedalian patricians such as Buckley and Vidal could even be considered for a network’s mainstream, prime-time broadcast.

From The New Yorker • Aug. 17, 2015

This capacity to draw inspiration from different genres was fundamental in the development of his career and unlike the sesquipedalian Lezama Lima, author of the masterpiece Paradiso, Piñera combined Cuban vernacular with more refined language.

From The Guardian • Aug. 3, 2012

Oh, and that whole “and lo” bit was lifted from the novel’s Madame Psychosis, whose sesquipedalian word vomit on the radio for some reason holds half the Boston metro area in a rapturous trance.

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2012

Wilbur performed his silly antics; Templeton raced around to gather sesquipedalian words; the geese clucked around and were generally a nuisance.

From "George" by Alex Gino