# What's the word for....? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620 "2002-11-06T23:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Dark\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dark_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/1 "2002-11-06T23:13:24Z")
What’s the word for someone who uses obscure words, phrases, or facts to appear smarter than they are? Someone who rambles on about a subject since they know the people they’re talking to aren’t familiar with it and therefore can’t disprove them? We’ve been having a debate with a friend who can’t admit he’s wrong and is resorting to biblical references and twisting reality to make it appear that he’s right. (And yes, I realize there’s a little bit of irony in my asking for the word just so I can use it.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/2 "2002-11-06T23:52:20Z")
Pseudo-intellectual? ---
**Author:** ![Elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@Elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/3 "2002-11-07T00:02:44Z")
How about, Jerk, smartass, know it all, numbnuts, :wally ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/4 "2002-11-07T01:25:36Z")
susquapedalianist I couldn’t find it in an online dictionary, but I found this at [http://www.christianlogic.com/loop/logic\_loop\_11.htm:](http://www.christianlogic.com/loop/logic_loop_11.htm:) > [@](#): > > This is a form of the “Red Herring” fallacy which I call “Sesquipedalianism,” or, babbling on and on about nothing. Much speaking and long words are meant to persuade the listener that one really knows what he is talking about, when in fact his words are not only off topic, they are not on any particular topic at all. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/5 "2002-11-07T01:44:18Z")
**ob·fus·cate** To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore. **pon·tif·i·cate** To express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic way. **verbosity** The quality or state of being verbose; the use of more words than are necessary; prolixity; wordiness; verbiage. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/6 "2002-11-07T04:23:33Z")
I’ll second **Roadfood** with _sesquipedalian_, which my dictionary (not an online one, unfortunately) defines as “1: given to using long words, 2: (of a word) containing many syllables” Ok, I just found a link at Mirriam-Webster’s online dictionary. > **[Definition of SESQUIPEDALIAN](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sesquipedalian)** > > having many syllables : long; given to or characterized by the use of long words… See the full definition ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/7 "2002-11-07T11:09:39Z")
Sesquipedalianism is a tendency to use long words ( the irony) but applies equally to someone who knows what they mean and uses them correctly, so I don’t think it’s the best word for what you want. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/8 "2002-11-07T11:43:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Dark Canuck \* > **What’s the word for someone who uses obscure words, phrases, or facts to appear smarter than they are? Someone who rambles on about a subject since they know the people they’re talking to aren’t familiar with it and therefore can’t disprove them?** **Pedant**? TheOED defines it as, > [@](#): > > A person who overrates book-learning or technical knowledge, or displays it unduly or unseasonably; one who has mere learning untempered by practical judgement and knowledge of affairs; one who lays excessive stress upon trifling details of knowledge or upon strict adherence to formal rules; sometimes, one who is possessed by a theory and insists on applying it in all cases without discrimination, a doctrinaire. I think this gives you the negative connotation you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![li\_l\_Dickie\_Dirtz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@li\_l\_Dickie\_Dirtz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/li_l_Dickie_Dirtz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/9 "2002-11-07T15:33:15Z")
[Pansophist](http://www.yourdictionary.com/cgi-bin/wotd.cgi?word=pansophist)? [Lexiphanic](http://www.yourdictionary.com/cgi-bin/wotd.cgi?word=lexiphanic)? Probably not pejorative enough for you. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for/135620/10 "2002-11-07T15:45:31Z")
Jesse Jackson?