English
Alternative spellings
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis
Etymology
Coined by Everett K Smith, President of the w:National Puzzlers' League|National Puzzlers� League, at their convention in 1935, from AGr. term|�νε�μονο�|trpneúmonos||of the lung|langel + L. term|ultra||beyond|langla + E. term|microscopic|langen + term|silico-|langen + term|volcano|langen + AGr. term|κ�νι�|trkónis||dust|langel + E. term|-osis|lang=en.
Pronunciation
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a|RP:
a|US:
audio|en-us-pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.ogg|Audio (US)
; Hyphenation
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Noun
en-noun|pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses
- context|nonce A hypothetical, invented disease of the lungs, caused by inhaling mineral or metallic dust, such as silicon and quartzite, over a long period of time.
Quotations
seecites
Usage notes
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The Oxford English Dictionary lists pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis as �a factitious word alleged to mean �a lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silica dust usually found in volcanos� but occurring chiefly as an instance of a very long word�.<ref name="OED-pronstress&usage"/>
This word was invented purely to be a contender for the title of the longest word in the English language, comprising forty-five letters. The word is not in official medical usage, and textbooks refer to this disease as pneumonoconiosis, pneumoconiosis, or silicosis.
; Other contenders for the title of �the longest word in the English language�
hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia � 35 letters
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious � 34 letters
floccinaucinihilipilificatious � 30 letters
floccinaucinihilipilification � 29 letters
antidisestablishmentarianism � 28 letters
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References
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