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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for May 6, 1999
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sesquipedalian [n., adj. SES-kwi-puh-DAYL-yun]
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This is a word that both names and describes itself. A sesquipedalian
is a long word, and such a word (as well as someone who uses such
words) is sesquipedalian. The implied sense is that such a long word
is needlessly pompous when shorter words would do.
This word's use in English came from the Roman poet Horace's phrase
"sesquipedalia verba" (words a foot and a half long), which carried
the same implication of needless pomposity.
The prefix sesqui- (one and a half) also appears in sesquicentennial
(an anniversary at 150 years) and is a derivative of semi- (half).
The suffix -pedalian is from the Latin pes (foot), which gave us many
"foot" words including these:
foot: walking and standing appendage at the end of the leg
pedal: a pad on which the foot presses to control something
impede: to retard or obstruct (originally, in a snare or trap)
pedestrian: person walking on the street
centipede: "hundred footed" creature
millipede: "thousand footed" creature
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