polysyllabicism
nounEtymology From polysyllabic + -ism.
1
Usually, Of linguistic expression The state or characteristic of having a polysyllabic or overly complex style.
- It will only facilitate the acquirement of a sesquipedalian diction, having the polysyllabicism without the precision of Johnson.1807, W. Taylor, Annual Review, page 274:
- If polysyllabicism is considered more 'scientific,' should we not seize the opportunity to call the study of micro-organisms 'mico-organicology'?1973, C. G. Dobbs, “Book Review of Soil Micro-Organisms by T. R. G. Gray and S. T. Williams (1971)”, in The Journal of Applied Ecology, volume 10, number 2, page 665:
1 more example
- Vocabulary is the meat, blood and bones of language.2005 Feb. 15, Susan Elkin, In praise of polysyllabicism, Telegraph.co.uk, Telegraph Media Group
- Related terms
- polysyllable, polysyllabicity, polysyllabism