sesquipedalian
[ ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uh n, -deyl-yuh n ]
/ 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.
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-uh m, ‐kwi-peed-l-iz-uh m] /sɛsˈkwɪp ɪ dlˌɪz əm, ‐kwɪˈpid lˌɪz əm/, noun un·ses·qui·pe·da·li·an, adjectiveWords nearby sesquipedalian
sesquialtera,
sesquicarbonate,
sesquicentennial,
sesquihydrate,
sesquioxide,
sesquipedalian,
sesquiplane,
sesquiterpene,
sesshu,
sessile,
sessile oak
British Dictionary definitions for sesquipedality
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