different between numerous vs polysyllabic

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?num???s/, /?num??s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?nju?m???s/, /?nju?m??s/
• Hyphenation: nu?mer?ous, num?erous

Adjective

numerous (comparative more numerous, superlative most numerous)

1. Indefinitely large numerically, many.

   There are numerous definitions of the word 'man'.

Synonyms

• many, multiple; see also Thesaurus:manifold

Derived terms

Translations

English

Etymology

poly- +? syllabic

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p?.l?.s??læ.b?k/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /?p?.l?.s??læ.b?k/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /?p?.li.s??læ.b?k/
• Rhymes: -æb?k
• Hyphenation: po?ly?syl?la?bic

Adjective

polysyllabic (not comparable)

1. (of a word) Having more than one syllable; having multiple or many syllables.

   "Antidisestablishmentarianism" definitely qualifies as a polysyllabic word.

   ‘Polysyllabic’ is a polysyllabic word.

2. (of spoken or written language) Characterized by or consisting of words having numerous syllables.

   I have a particularly off-putting predilection for the utilization of ponderously polysyllabic linguistic constructions.

Usage notes

Authoritative sources disagree concerning the precise number of syllables needed for a word to count as polysyllabic. The references cited below variously stipulate anywhere from more than one syllable to four or more. In general usage, a polysyllabic word is a word which is regarded as lengthy and polysyllabic writing or speech is often regarded as elaborate, overly lengthy, or excessively complex.

Synonyms

• (of a word): multisyllabic

Antonyms

• monosyllabic
• brachysyllabic

Related terms

• polysyllable
• polysyllabicism
• polysyllabicity
• polysyllabism

Translations

Noun

polysyllabic (plural polysyllabics)

1. A word having more than one syllable

References

• “polysyllabic” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• "polysyllabic" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
• “polysyllabic”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)
• Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989)