English
Pronunciation
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|w:Received Pronunciation|RP||IPAchar|�p�l.ɪ.sɪ�læb.ɪk
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|w:Australian English phonology|AusE?||IPAchar|�p�l.ɪ.sɪ�læb.ɪk
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|w:General American|GenAm?||IPAchar|�p�l.ɪ.sɪ�læb.ɪk
|}
rhymes|æbɪk
Adjective
en-adj|-
- context|of a word Having more than one syllable; having multiple or many syllables.
#:"Antidisestablishmentarianism" definitely qualifies as a polysyllabic word.
- context|of spoken or written language Characterized by or consisting of words having numerous syllables.
#:I have a particularly off-putting predilection for the utilization of ponderously polysyllabic linguistic constructions.
Translations
German: vielsilbig
Swedish: flerstavig
Synonyms
sense|of a word multisyllabic
Antonyms
monosyllabic
Related terms
polysyllable
polysyllabicism
polysyllabicity
polysyllabism
Usage notes
Authoritative sources disagree concerning the precise number of syllables needed for a word to count as polysyllabic. The references cited below variously stipulate anywhere from more than one syllable to four or more. In general usage, a polysyllabic word is a word which is regarded as lengthy and polysyllabic writing or speech is often regarded as elaborate, overly lengthy, or excessively complex.
References
R:Dictionary.com|polysyllabic
"polysyllabic" in Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2007 Microsoft Corporation.
"polysyllabic" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press 2007.
"polysyllabic" in Compact Oxford English Dictionary, © Oxford University Press, 2007.
Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.
Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.
io:polysyllabic
te:polysyllabic
vi:polysyllabic
tr:polysyllabic
zh:polysyllabic
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