# sesquipedalianism

> English word · Noun · IPA /sɛz.kwɪ.pəˈdɛl.i.ən.ɪsm̩/

## Definitions
1. The practice of using long, sometimes obscure, words in speech or writing.
2. A very long word.

## Etymology
Surface form analyzed as sesquipedalian + -ism, from sesqui- (“one and a half”) + pedalian (“of the foot”).
From Latin sēsquipedālis (“a foot and a half long; in metaphorical use, “of an unnatural length, huge, big””), from sēsqui (“one and a half times as great”) + pedālis (“foot”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sesquipedalianism