Why use many words when a polysyllabic monster will do: Sesquipedalian

Q. Sounds like some kind of dinosaur

A. Well, it's not. A sesquipedalian word is a cumbersome and pedantic word; sesquipedalian orators are those inclined to use such. The word is always used with heavy irony, except perhaps by sesquipedalian orators themselves.

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Q. What are its origins

A. We owe this word to the Roman writer Horace (65BC-AD8), who wrote in his Ars Poetica (The Art of Poetry): 'Proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba' ('He throws aside his paint pots and his words that are a foot and a half long'). It was constructed from sesqui, one and a half, plus ped, a foot, and began to be used in English in the 17th century.

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Q. Any notable occurrences in literature

A. It appears, somewhat disguised, in The History of Mr Polly by H.G. Wells: 'Words attracted [Mr Polly] curiously, words rich in suggestion, and he loved a novel and striking phrase. His school training had given him little or no mastery of the mysterious pronunciation of English, and no confidence in himself...He avoided every recognised phrase in the language, and mispronounced everything in order that he shouldn't be suspected of ignorance but whim. "Sesquippledan," he would say. "Sesquippledan verboojuice."'

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This sums the whole thing up pretty well.

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Q. Any derivatives

As if the word itself wasn't enough, we also have sesquipedalianist - same thing as a sesquipedalian orator - and writing in a sesquipedalian style is sesquipedalianism. The noun sesquipedality means 'lengthiness', and to cap it all, there's always the sesquipedalianist's sesquipedalianist, a hyperpolysyllabicsesquipedalianist, someone who enjoys using really, really long words - but that's just showing off.

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Q. Any favourite examples

A.

Trypdodecaphobia - the irrational fear of the number 13

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Arachabutyrophobia - the irrational fear of having peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth

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For more on Phrases & Sayings click here

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By Simon Smith