As a writer, blogger and radio guy I live and die by words. So I thought it might be fun to talk about some of the longest words in our very confusing English language.

For example the longest word in the English language has a whopping 189,819 letters.

That would amount to 57 pages to print, or at three and a half hours, just a little shorter than “Gone with The Wind” to pronounce. If you have three hours to listen you can hear it pronounced here.

It’s the chemical name for the “titin protein” found in the human body. Wouldn’t that be easier to say?

Here are a few of my other favorites.

Fun Facts About Long Words

  • If you have a lung disease caused by exposure to silica or quartz dust you might be diagnosed with the forty-five-letter word, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.”
  • Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism is a 30-letter form of inherited pseudohypoparathyroidism I hope that clears it up for you.
  • If you have something estimated as being valueless then you can freely use the 29-letter word to define it. Floccinaucinihilipilification
  • Opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England spawned the first long word I learned, Antidisestablishmentarianism.”
  • Mary Poppins made the 34-letter word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious famous as the word to use if you have nothing to say.
  • The 1990 record setting longest commonly used word has 21 letters and you probably have used it. Incomprehensibilities.”
  • According to Guinness Book of World Records the longest word with almost all consonants is “Strengths.” It’s the longest monosyllabic word in the English language.
  • Euouae may only have six letters but it’s the longest world in the English language with only vowels. It’s a medieval times musical term.
  • Is there a word where vowels and consonants alternate? That would of course be unimaginatively.” Of course you have to count the “y” on the end as a vowel.
  • If you TskTsk someone for doing something wrong you are using the English language’s longest word with no vowels.
  • If you have a tendency to use long words in pen or verbally it could be said that this trait is sesquipedalianism.”

Some Final Thoughts

Long words might make you sound smart if anyone wants to wait around for three and a half hours so you can name-drop the longest word.

Personally I think simple is better. Words have meaning yet it is seldom the longest word that gains attention — it’s the word with the clearest meaning.

What’s your favorite long word?

Comments below.

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