The 15 Longest Words in The English Language

The 15 longest words in the English language are tough to spell, let alone say half the time. They’re not always necessary either.

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

After you’re done twisting your tongue into knots you can just state that it’s a lung disease. It’s caused by inhaling quartz dust.

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

As one of the longest words in the English language, this is also incredibly ironic. Simply put, it’s the fear of long words.

Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism

One has to wonder if it’s too hard for someone to just say that this is a medical condition affecting the thyroid. Is there a fear of small words?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Yes, this is a real word and it’s in the dictionary. Mary Poppins left behind a little more than a recipe to choke down your medicine.

Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious

Of all the ways to say ‘very good’, or ‘very fine’, this has to be one of the longest. It almost sounds like it would choke anyone who tries to say it.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Irony is a strong presence among these five to ten-dollar words. Especially since this word means to estimate something as worthless.

Antidisestablishmentarianism

While it’s taken on a slightly different meaning in the current era, this word was meant that one opposed the Church of England. In America this isn’t such a big issue these days.

Honorificabilitudinitatibus

It’s tempting to go back in time and finger-wag the originators of these words, isn’t it? Just to tell them to cut the yada yada and go with something simple is a nice thought.

Thyroparathyroidectomized

Feel a little sorry for doctors, nurses, and interns who have to memorize terms like this. It means to excise the thyroid and parathyroid glands.

Dichlorodifluoromethane

If you ever needed a word to make you feel even less intelligent then look up the actual definition of this one. Some people will get it, others might just skip it.

Xenotransplantation

This sounds like something taken from a scifi movie. It means to transplant an organ from one species to another.

Trichotillomania

Can’t you just say that you like to pull your own hair? Does there really need to be a huge term for it?

Uncopyrightable

This term is something that many people can no doubt discern without looking in a dictionary. There are a lot of things that can’t be given a copyright since they’re public domain.

Tergiversation

It is very tempting to describe who fits the bill when talking about this term. But in the spirit of being polite, it’s the inability, or rather the decision, to avoid making a clear statement.