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sesquipedalian

   Also found in: Legal 0.02 sec.
ses·qui·pe·da·lian  (sskw-p-dlyn)
n.
A long word.
adj.
1. Given to or characterized by the use of long words.
2. Long and ponderous; polysyllabic.

sesquipedalian [ˌsɛskwɪpɪˈdeɪlɪən] less commonly, sesquipedal [sɛsˈkwɪpədəl]
adj
1. tending to use very long words
2. (of words or expressions) long and ponderous; polysyllabic
n
a polysyllabic word
[from Latin sēsquipedālis of a foot and a half (coined by Horace in Ars Poetica), from sesqui- + pedālis of the foot, from pēs foot]
sesquipedalianism  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.sesquipedalian - a very long word (a foot and a half long)
polysyllabic word, polysyllable - a word of more than three syllables
Adj.1.sesquipedalian - given to the overuse of long words; "sesquipedalian orators"; "this sesquipedalian way of saying one has no money"
pretentious - making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction; "a pretentious country house"; "a pretentious fraud"; "a pretentious scholarly edition"
2.sesquipedalian - (of words) long and ponderous; having many syllables; "sesquipedalian technical terms"
long - primarily spatial sense; of relatively great or greater than average spatial extension or extension as specified; "a long road"; "a long distance"; "contained many long words"; "ten miles long"
Translations
sesquipedalian [ˌseskwɪpɪˈdeɪlɪən] ADJsesquipedal, polisilábico
sesquipedalian wordpalabra f kilométrica


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
D'Artagnan recoiled, as though the sesquipedalian syllables had knocked the breath out of his body.
 
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