different between polysyllabic vs sesquipedalian

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)

English

Etymology

From sesquipedal +? -ian (adjective- and noun-forming suffix), root from Latin sesquipedalis (literally “a foot and a half long”), from Latin s?squi (“one and a half times”) + Latin ped?lis (“measuring a foot”) (form of pes (“foot”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?skw?p??de?l??n/
• Hyphenation: ses?qui?pe?da?li?an

Noun

sesquipedalian (plural sesquipedalians)

1. A long word.
   • 1830, On the Art of Rising in Prose The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, part 2, v. 29, Henry Colburn and Co., page: 162:

     “The fine old fellow,” as a Northern contemporary of ours patronizingly calls him, certainly rolled out his sesquipedalians with a majesty previously unknown, and gave a fine organ-like swell to his full-blow periods;

   • 1927, John S. Farmer, William Ernest Henley, A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English: Abridged from the Seven-volume Work, Entitled "Slang and Its Analogues", Taylor & Francis, page: 164:

     Fleet-streetese, the so-called English written to sell by the Fleet-streeter (q.v.), or baser sort of journalist: a mixture of sesquipedalians and slang, of phrases worn threadbare and phrases sprung from the kennel;

   • 1952, Hannah More, Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, page: 220:

     ‘Sometimes we converse in ballad-rhymes, sometimes in Johnsonian sesquipedalians; at tea we condescend to riddles and charades.’

2. A person who uses long words.
   • 2008, Richard Dawkins, The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing,Oxford University Press, page: 106:

     Word-watchers, verbivores, and sesquipedalians love a challenge.

   • 2009, Sally Adams, Wynford Hicks, Interviewing for Journalists, Taylor & Francis, page: 97:

     ‘What sort of writer is the English professor looking for?’ / ‘He wants a sesquipedalian, of course.’

   • 2012, Jonathan Herring, How to Argue: Powerfully, Persuasively, Positively, FT Press, chapter 8, page: ?:

     Don’t be a sesquipedalian! / Yes, you guessed right. A sesquipedalian is a person who enjoys long words.

Translations

Adjective

sesquipedalian (comparative more sesquipedalian, superlative most sesquipedalian)

1. (of a word or words) Long; polysyllabic.

   The most common use of "antidisestablishmentarianism" is as an example of a sesquipedalian word.
2. Pertaining to or given to the use of overly long words.

   Our dinner guest was so sesquipedalian that no one could understand what he said.

Synonyms

• (of long words): polysyllabic
• (given to the use of long words): See Thesaurus:verbose

Antonyms

• (of long words): monosyllabic, brachysyllabic
• (given to the use of long words): See Thesaurus:concise

Derived terms

• sesquipedalianism – literary style characterised by the use of long words.
• sesquipedalianist – a writer using sesquipedalianism.
• sesquipedalophobia – fear of long words.

Related terms

• hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
• sesquipedal
• sesquipedality

Translations

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “sesquipedalian”, in Online Etymology Dictionary