Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Sesquipedalian.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Same as sesquipedalian.
- n. A person or thing a foot and a half high.
Wiktionary
- adj. Measuring or containing a foot and a half.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Measuring or containing a foot and a half; ; -- sometimes humorously applied to long words.
Etymologies
- sesqui- (“one and a half”) + pedal (“foot, of the foot”). (Wiktionary)
- Latin sēsquipedālis, of a foot and a half in length : sēsqui-, sesqui- + pēs, ped-, foot; see ped- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Convention, presides with a more avowed and certain sway over the realms of fashion; and the Turkish draperies that may float very gracefully on a form like hers, are imitated by rotund sesquipedal Fatimas, who make one regret even the tight lacings and unnatural diminishings of our grandmothers.”
“Madame Tallien, who is supposed occasionally to dictate decrees to the Convention, presides with a more avowed and certain sway over the realms of fashion; and the Turkish draperies that may float very gracefully on a form like hers, are imitated by rotund sesquipedal Fatimas, who make one regret even the tight lacings and unnatural diminishings of our grandmothers.”
A Residence in France During the Years 1792 1793 1794 and 1795
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘sesquipedal’.
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coxon's Words
sesquipedalianist, sesquipedal, frivolity, annotated, fatalism, morlock, incongruous, induced, goatse, mimicry, paroxysm, volition and 27 more...
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Numinous's Words
seraglio, sesquipedal, homunculus, supernatant, flocculant, deleterious, probity, numinous, verdigris, multisyllabic, polysyllable, locus and 23 more...
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