antidisestablishmentarianism
Use in a sentence
tiˌdɪs noun
opposition to the withdrawal of state support or recognition from an established church, especially the Anglican Church in 19th-century England.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To antidisestablishmentarianism
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
| Main Entry: | antidisestablishmentarianism |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | originally, opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England, now opposition to the belief that there should no longer be an official church in a country |
| Example: | When people are asked for the longest word they know, they often say antidisestablishmentarianism. |
00:10
Antidisestablishmentarianism
has a plethora of syllables.
So is sesquipedalianism. Does it mean:
| an obscure term ostensibly referring to a lung disease caused by silica dust, sometimes cited as one of the longest words in the English language. |
| given to using long words. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
antidisestablishmentarianism
1838, said by Weekley to be first recorded in Gladstone's "Church and State," "in reference to a scheme directed against the Church of England," from establishment in the sense of "the ecclesiastical system established by law; the Church of England" (1731). Hence, establishmentarianism "the principle
of a state church," and disestablish (1590s) "to deprive (a church) of especial state patronage and support" (first used specifically of Christian churches in 1806). Rarely used at all now except in examples of the longest words, amongst which it has been counted since at least 1923.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
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