POLYSYLLABIC

polysyllabic, sesquipedalian

(adjective) (of words) long and ponderous; having many syllables; “sesquipedalian technical terms”

polysyllabic

(adjective) having or characterized by words of more than three syllables

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

polysyllabic (not comparable)

(of a word) Having more than one syllable; having multiple or many syllables.

(of spoken or written language) Characterized by or consisting of words having numerous syllables.

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

Noun

polysyllabic (plural polysyllabics)

A word having more than one syllable

Source: Wiktionary


Pol`y*syl*lab"ic, Pol`y*syl*lab"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. polysyllabique.]

Definition: Pertaining to a polysyllable; containing, or characterized by, polysyllables; consisting of more than three syllables.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

21 February 2025

RESTORATION

(noun) some artifact that has been restored or reconstructed; “the restoration looked exactly like the original”


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Coffee Trivia

Plain brewed coffee contains almost no calories, while coffee with dairy products, sugar, and other flavorings is much higher in calories. An espresso has 20 calories. A nonfat latte has 72, while a flavored one has 134.

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