The Longest English Words That Actually Exist — What Do They Mean?
Are you good at spelling?
Many people probably have trouble spelling or even reading long words, such as "ubiquitous" or "accommodate." Yet these are still quite short compared to some other words in English.
Did you know that the longest word in the English language actually has 45 letters in it? Unbelievable, right?
Today we'll be taking a look at the craziest, longest words in English as well as their meanings.
Longest Words in the English Language
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Don't worry — you won't be seeing this word every day. This is said to be the longest word in English, with 45 letters in total. It is a rare lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silica dust, which can be found in certain stones, sand, and clay.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
No, this has nothing to do with hippos. This word actually means "the fear of long words." Ironic, isn't it? "-phobia" is a common suffix meaning "the fear of."
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Have you seen the Disney movie Mary Poppins? If so, you probably know this word, as it was popularized by the song with the same title. This word is used to describe something that is extraordinary or fantastic.
Antiestablishmentarianism
You might know that "establishment" is a place where people do business, like a shop or restaurant. It can also mean a powerful group, like the government or big companies.
This long word describes when people don't like how things are normally done in things like politics, religion, or society. They want to change these things and don't like the usual ways.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Here's another word that is rarely used in the English language. "Floccinaucinihilipilification" is the act of considering something as completely worthless or unimportant.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus
This one is interesting — it's actually a word that was used in a play written by William Shakespeare! It means "the state of being able to achieve honors," or honorableness.
Incomprehensibilities
This next one is a word you might actually see, but still not so often. "Incomprehensibility" is the state of being very difficult, or impossible, to understand. You might know that "comprehend" means "to understand."
Sesquipedalianism
This one is funny. This word describes a situation where someone uses very long or extreme words in their writing. So if you used all the words we introduced today in your writing, you would be "sesquipedalian," which is the adjective form.
Wrap-up
What are the longest words in your native language? Are they as long as these English words we looked at today?
It should be a relief that we actually rarely use these words in daily conversation. Imagine having to spell these long words in emails or text messages, or having to pronounce them correctly when speaking!
We hope you enjoyed the list. Maybe you can show off your new knowledge in your next English lesson!
