English
hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian comes from Latin monstrum ‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil…’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *monestrom.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrum‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
- Englishearliest quotation 1997hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*monestromreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmonstrum‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent’
- Englishearliest quotation 1997hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian
Earliest quotation: 1997, Steven George Krantz: “To indulge in hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian tergiversation is not to show…”
The story
An extension of sesquipedalian using a modified form of hippopotamus and Latin monstrum, with the extensions almost certainly chosen with the intention of making the new construct autological.
Linked words
through Latin monstrum ‘a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil…’
monster, demonstration, monstrous, demonstrative, monstrosity, 7 more
Today it means
adj Of or pertaining to extremely long words.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *monestrom / hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian