# Longest word is 45 letters...hardest word to pronounce...2?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 12, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507 "2003-02-12T03:14:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/1 "2003-02-12T03:14:43Z")

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What is the biggest word? If I’m not mistaken I thought it was the 45 letter word that described a common degree of insanity? THE most hardest to say is no.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/2 "2003-02-12T03:26:47Z")

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Earlier threads, with links to even earlier ones:

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=158253](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=158253)  
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=152825](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=152825)

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**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/3 "2003-02-12T03:44:54Z")

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Thanks. I now feel better. Ahhh. 🙂

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**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/4 "2003-02-12T03:49:47Z")

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So…uh…how come not many people tell us that its basically: methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine?

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**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/5 "2003-02-12T04:11:43Z")

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Fauxpas. . . I hope you typed that and did not cut and paste. . please tell me you typed it. I would really respect you.

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/6 "2003-02-12T04:47:49Z")

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**fauxpas** , some people don’t consider scientific terms (and the one you posted is the name of a biological compound) to be words in the sense that other dictionary-defined words are. They say that such words are formed via an artificial process (which is true, as that name breaks down into components that describe the components of the compound) and aren’t used in normal communication.

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**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/7 "2003-02-12T05:00:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Derleth \*  
> such words … aren’t used in normal communication.

What do you mean? **fauxpas** just used it in a perfectly valid sentence. 😉

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**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/8 "2003-02-12T06:35:28Z")

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To tell you the truth. I typed it, but I must admit that I had to sort of keep looking back to type a few of the parts down.

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**Author:** ![moc.liamtoh\_rorrim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f17d59/32.png) [@moc.liamtoh\_rorrim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moc.liamtoh_rorrim)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/9 "2003-02-12T07:12:21Z")

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Lets see if we can use it in a sentence…

I really like methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine, its just fun to say…

methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine.

Hows your methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine?.. Good thank you.

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**Author:** ![tarfu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tarfu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarfu)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/10 "2003-02-12T15:17:15Z")

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Mmmmmm…  
methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine?

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/11 "2003-02-12T15:37:40Z")

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What is the purpose of methio-la-la-la-serine, anyway?

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**Author:** ![The\_Clawman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@The\_Clawman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Clawman)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/12 "2003-02-12T15:45:32Z")

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When come back bring…ach, I can’t be arsed pasting it.

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**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/13 "2003-02-12T16:35:09Z")

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So, does methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethionyllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine taste sweet, or what?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/14 "2003-02-12T16:52:08Z")

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Hey, baby, is that methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla  
lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany  
lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa  
rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu  
cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar  
tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser  
ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso  
leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny  
lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste  
inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin  
ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl  
ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny  
lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany  
ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva  
lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu  
taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan  
ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy  
lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl  
aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl  
tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl  
arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag  
inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy  
lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany  
lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser  
ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas  
partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser  
ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi  
stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethionyllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?  
I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Waste of bandwidth. I’ll be leaving, now.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/15 "2003-02-12T17:02:47Z")

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Hey, it`s mis-spelled. It should be;

methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanyla lanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalany lphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylvalylthreonylleucylglycylaspa rtylprolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleu cylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspar tylalanylleucylglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylser ylaspartylprolylleucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonyliso leucylglutaminylaspfraginylalanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylpheny lalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcyste inylphenylalanylglutamylmethionylleucylalanylleucylisoleucylargin ylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylgl ycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylpheny lalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalany ltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylva lylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalylglu taminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutaminylalan ylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisoleucy lphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylaspartyl aspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryl tyrosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylseryl arginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparag inylarginylalanylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucy lvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalany lprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylser ylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylas partylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylser ylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhi stidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylprolylglutamyllysylmethio nylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutaminylp rolylmethion yllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine.

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**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/16 "2003-02-12T18:41:59Z")

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Yeah, I always transpose those two letters when I type it.

–Cliffy

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**Author:** ![1000monkeys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/7cd45c/32.png) [@1000monkeys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1000monkeys)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/17 "2003-02-12T18:56:18Z")

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I don’t know why its not used more often, its a perfectly cromulent word.

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**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/18 "2003-02-12T19:50:53Z")

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You knew it was coming…

All your methionylglutamin…onylarginylserine are belong to us.

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**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/19 "2003-02-12T20:16:45Z")

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**Enola Straight** , the common name is [Tryptophan Synthetase A protein](http://www.laskerfoundation.org/reports/pdf/amino_acid_sequence_1966.pdf). (Warning, PDF file) It’s a gene that codes for tryptophan synthetase in prokaryotes. Eukaryotes also have an enzyme called tryptophan synthetase but the biosynthetic pathway is not exactly the same.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507/20 "2003-02-13T06:05:42Z")

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I remember my old Guinness Book of Records (1971 edition I think, inherited from my grandad) listed the above word as being the longest (I also seem to remember it has 1,913 letters, but I ain’t going to count them!) but, as I thought at the time, why choose that particular protein?

There are many other, much larger, protein molecules, and you can assemble a similar name for each of them in the same way (each segment ending in “-yl” represents a single amino acid).

You could do a similar thing with a DNA molecule… Hmm, let me see… Adenylthymidylcytosylguanosylcytosylguanosyladenylthymidyl…repeat for another 200,000 or so nucleotides, at around 7 letters each… hmmm, 1.4 million letters…

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-word-is-45-letters-hardest-word-to-pronounce-2/154507.md?page=2)