- #1
arba20
Which word is longest in English dictionary?
What is the longest word in the English language?
- Thread starter arba20
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around identifying the longest word in the English language, exploring various candidates and the criteria for what constitutes a "word." Participants examine different contexts, including dictionary entries, chemical names, and coined terms.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants suggest "megaparsec" as a contender for the longest word.
- One participant references a Wikipedia entry that discusses the ambiguity of defining a "word" and mentions a chemical name with 189,819 letters, questioning its validity as a separate word.
- Another participant cites "Antidisestablishmentarianism" as a long non-coined word, defining it as opposition to the disestablishment of the Anglican church.
- Participants mention "Honorificabilitudinitatibus" as the longest word appearing in Shakespeare, noting its unique structure of alternating consonants and vowels.
- One participant introduces "Høyesterettsjustitiarius," the Norwegian term for "Chief Justice of the Supreme Court," as a long word in another language.
- There is a discussion about "floccinaucinihilipilification," with some participants debating its status as a long word and its meaning related to estimating worthlessness.
- Another participant humorously suggests "time" as the longest word, prompting a discussion about the nature of words and language evolution.
- Some participants express uncertainty about the definitions and contexts that determine what counts as the longest word.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on what constitutes the longest word, with multiple competing views and criteria presented throughout the discussion.
Contextual Notes
There are limitations regarding the definitions of "word," the distinction between coined and non-coined terms, and the relevance of chemical names in this context. The discussion reflects a variety of perspectives on language and its evolution.
- #2
Jimmy Snyder
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megaparsec.
- #3
HallsofIvy
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Look at this wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_word_in_English
As they say, it is impossible to give an answer because of ambiguities as to what constitutes a "word in the English language" as well as exactly how you count letters in words that may have alternative spellings. The article gives a word that has 189,819 letters but it is the chemical name of the largest protein and it formed by simply combining the names of all the atoms in it- is it really a separate word? Another is a word with 45 letters, said to be the "longest word in a major dictionary" but with the caution that it is another technical word formed by combining other words- and, in fact, was coined specifically to be the longest word in the English language!
The longes "non-coined and non-technical word" is our old friend "Antidisestablishmentarianism" and the only one I can define- it means the opposition to the "disestablishment" of the Anglican church.
The longest word to appear in Shakespear is "Honorificabilitudinitatibus" and is the longest word that alternates consonants and vowels!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_word_in_English
As they say, it is impossible to give an answer because of ambiguities as to what constitutes a "word in the English language" as well as exactly how you count letters in words that may have alternative spellings. The article gives a word that has 189,819 letters but it is the chemical name of the largest protein and it formed by simply combining the names of all the atoms in it- is it really a separate word? Another is a word with 45 letters, said to be the "longest word in a major dictionary" but with the caution that it is another technical word formed by combining other words- and, in fact, was coined specifically to be the longest word in the English language!
The longes "non-coined and non-technical word" is our old friend "Antidisestablishmentarianism" and the only one I can define- it means the opposition to the "disestablishment" of the Anglican church.
The longest word to appear in Shakespear is "Honorificabilitudinitatibus" and is the longest word that alternates consonants and vowels!
- #4
Hyperspace2
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Jimmy Snyder said:
- #5
I like Serena
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MHB
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Hyperspace2 said:Jimmy Snyder said:
Hmm, hyperspace sounds longer!
- #6
arildno
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In Norway, the most common and well-known word that is arguably the longest in that category is:
Høyesterettsjustitiarius
It means "Chief Justice of the Supreme Court"
Høyesterettsjustitiarius
It means "Chief Justice of the Supreme Court"
- #7
rhody
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Jimmy Snyder said:
The great one does it again... zing... you are da man...
Rhody...
- #8
Klockan3
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Actually it is floccinaucinihilipilification.HallsofIvy said:
Edit: Tried to look that one up and couldn't find anything, I guess that I need to have gotten some things mixed up by a strange source..
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- #9
arba20
Thanks for your posting.
- #10
Borek
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HallsofIvy said:
Amino acids, not atoms.
- #11
Ken Natton
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Klockan3 said:
When I was young, the word always held to be the longest was, as HallsofIvy said, antidisestablishmentarianism, but there were then endless disputes about whether or not it should be hyphonated. Latterly the word you mention, floccinaucinihilipilification appeared on the scene. There are a couple of things you should know about it - no-one ever uses it, people only ever encounter it as 'the longest word in the Oxford dictionary' and the word itself is very tongue-in-cheek. Flocci, nauci, nihili and pili are all essentially prefixes with very similar meanings and connotations. The overall word is held to mean 'the art of estimating the worthless' which is, of course, completely pointless. As already pointed out, the real problem is to identify the longest word that is not just a compound noun, certainly not a chemical, biological or a pharamcuetical name, and is intended for general and spontaneous use. Not really any less pointless a question but hey, we have to get through the day somehow...
- #12
Haldhad
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The longest word in the English language is time.
Ok physics jokes aside, as said it depends what you mean by word, a chemical term is a word but is it a word as you understand the term.
Antidisestablishmentarianism was once listed as the longest word although falsely. It means against the deconstruction of the Arian church whatever the hell Arian means, although usually it is linked to protestantism in the UK. Now it's something different I believe floccinaucinihilipilification not really close but it depends how you define a word? language evolves.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, gets my vote.
Ok physics jokes aside, as said it depends what you mean by word, a chemical term is a word but is it a word as you understand the term.
Antidisestablishmentarianism was once listed as the longest word although falsely. It means against the deconstruction of the Arian church whatever the hell Arian means, although usually it is linked to protestantism in the UK. Now it's something different I believe floccinaucinihilipilification not really close but it depends how you define a word? language evolves.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, gets my vote.
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