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sesquipedal

 - 3 dictionary results

ses⋅qui⋅pe⋅da⋅li⋅an

  [ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn]
Use sesquipedal in a Sentence
–adjective Also, ses⋅quip⋅e⋅dal  [ses-kwip-i-dl] .
1. given to using long words.
2. (of a word) containing many syllables.
–noun
3. a sesquipedalian word.
Origin:
1605–15; < L sēsquipedālis measuring a foot and a half (see sesqui-, pedal ) + -an

Related forms:
ses⋅qui⋅pe⋅dal⋅i⋅ty  [ses-kwi-pi-dal-i-tee] , ses⋅qui⋅pe⋅da⋅li⋅an⋅ism, ses⋅quip⋅e⋅dal⋅ism  [ses-kwip-i-dl-iz-uhm, ‑kwi-peed-l-iz-uhm] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sesquipedal
ses·quip·e·dal   (sě-skwĭp'ĭ-dl)   
adj.  Sesquipedalian.

[Latin sēsquipedālis, of a foot and a half in length : sēsqui-, sesqui- + pēs, ped-, foot; see ped- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sesquipedalian 
1615, from L. sesquipedalia verba "words a foot-and-a-half long," in Horace's "Ars Poetica" (97), nicely illustrating the thing he is criticizing, from sesqui- "half as much again" (see sesquicentennial) + pes "foot" (see foot)
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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