The English language is built on paradoxes because most of the words in this language are borrowed from other European languages. You could say that all languages are constructed similarly. The beauty of English is hidden in its short words that convey full meaning, such as “yes” or “no” and “hit” or “run”. Taking all that into consideration, there are still gigantic words in this very language. Let us shed some light on the longest words in English.
Tongue Twisters of the English Language That Go on Forever
Dictionaries and textbooks and medical journals are responsible for some of the longest words in English. These are mouth-stretching words that seem like a challenge to your patience and pronunciation. Those words are nothing short of a heaven for logophiles (word lovers). Here is the list that will reshape your idea of linguistics:
- Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (45 Letters)
Trust me when I tell you that reading pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is as difficult as pronouncing it. A fancy term for a lung disease, we know, but it is the longest word in the English dictionary. This word has 45 letters; it is said to take about 3.5 seconds to pronounce. You can say that it is the final boss in the English dictionary: beat it to win the lexical game.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis has been around since 1935. Everett Smith coined that term as the president of the National Puzzlers’ League. It was a conscious attempt at inventing a long word just for the sake of it. You got it right: the purpose was to come up with a word that would become a linguistic celebrity because of its length. - Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia (36 Letters)
Reading this gibberish word of 36 letters gives you a fair idea that it refers to some kind of phobia. It means the fear of long words. Ironic, right? Someone who coined this term knew what they wanted to do with it. How cheeky. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is not a recognized medical term, but it is brought up whenever long English words are discussed. This is why it is frequently mentioned in pop psychology and around the internet.
This is how this word is constructed:
Hippopotomonstro = scary and big (for impact)
Sesquipedalian = originated from Latin “sesqui” and means “long word”.
A person who is afraid of long words will have hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia linked to them as a condition. Sort of a cruel act if you ask me. - Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (34 Letters)
Have a look at this word, and you can already tell that this does not mean anything useful. A 1964 Disney movie called Mary Poppins made supercalifragilisticexpialidocious popular. The song explained this term as “something to say when you have nothing to say.” It has fulfilled its role to date.
Let us not roast this term too much, as it appears in the Oxford English Dictionary. It is there only for a whimsical or nostalgic vibe (maybe pokes some fun at those with the phobia as well). Some professionals argue that it is made of various roots to mean “extraordinarily good”, but there is not enough proof to solidify this claim. Those of us who like to be honest know that supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is nothing more than linguistic idiocy of 34 letters.
A fun fact is that you could memorize this term just to flex on others. - Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (30 Letters)
Want to say this word as fast as possible? No, right? We guessed it.
Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism is no prank. It is a genuine medical term for a genetic disorder. It stems from another disorder, which is called pseudohypoparathyroidism. We can abbreviate it as “pseudo-pseudo.” This is how we deconstruct the term:
Pseudo = false Pseudohypoparathyroidism = false low levels of parathyroid hormone
It is long and real and confusing for medical students.
Pseudopseudo = falsely imitating the false condition - Floccinaucinihilipilification (29 Letters)
Imagine being insulted with a term you do not fully understand. Floccinaucinihilipilification is the act of declaring something as worthless. The earliest record of this term can be traced back to the 18th Century, where British schoolboys combined Latin words. Their game of word formation led them to coin a term that would mean “nothing” or “little value”. The result was this giant term.
Floccinaucinihilipilification is not in common use, yet you can sense how it packs a punch. Use it as a secret trick during a heated argument; you will win your case. - Antidisestablishmentarianism (28 Letters)
The fun fact about antidisestablishmentarianism is that it is arguably the most popular long English word of all time. It is a socio-political term and it refers to the disestablishment of the Church of England in the 19th Century. It might have lost its relevance over time but it can still be used as a classic example of a long word.
Antidisestablishmentarianism is still known as the longest non-coined word for decades.
Some Longest English Words as Honourable Mentions
- Thyroparathyroidectomized (25 letters)
- Deinstitutionalization (22 letters)
- Uncharacteristically (20 letters)
- Incomprehensibilities (21 letters)
Whether it is the longest disease name or the longest British name or the longest chemical name, the lengthiest words in English originate from various domains. They are not necessarily usable terms. We know that you do not need pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis in your lifetime. Maybe once or twice in your life.
These words may not be practical but they are around to showcase the vastness of the English language as well as the creativity of wordsmiths. Consider this language a linguistic playground of consonants and vowels and monosyllabic words.
Conclusion
English is often considered poetry in motion. The longest words in English are part of that flow. Long words may not be meaningful in the language but they show the range in language. These lexical odds are a friendly reminder of how wonderful and weird the English language can be. Try not to panic or laugh at someone the next time they report their bad health due to hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.