# Your Favorite Multi-syllabic Word **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427 "2017-09-27T14:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/61 "2017-09-29T18:14:49Z")
Mine is _heterological_: > [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > “Monosyllabic” is possibly the most ironic word in the English language. ‘Monosyllabic’ is a heterological word, whilst ‘short’ is not (it’s autological—it describes itself). But is ‘heterological’ heterological? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/62 "2017-09-29T18:22:31Z")
My official favorite word of the year for 2017 is _shenanigans_. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/63 "2017-09-29T18:35:33Z")
[Abecadarian](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Abecadarian) in the sense of alphabetically ordered. You start with “Abc”, insert an “e” in to make it pronounceable, then add some suffixes to make it look sort of like a real word. I also like “polysyllabic” and “pentasyllabic” as they are examples of [autological](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autological_word) words. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/64 "2017-09-29T21:35:51Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It always bothered me that _onomatopoeia_ isn’t spelled the way it sounds. It was, until y’all changed your pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/65 "2017-09-29T21:40:07Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > My official favorite word of the year for 2017 is _shenanigans_. Shenanigator is fun too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/66 "2017-09-30T01:50:30Z")
“Resplendent” is another good word for sounding how it ought to. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/67 "2017-09-30T12:38:08Z")
Epidemiology! Epidemiology! I love how it trips off the tongue. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/68 "2017-09-30T12:51:35Z")
Polyethylene terephthalate. I just like the phrasing. “You can recycle that bottle, since it’s made of polyethylene terephthalate.” > **[Polyethylene terephthalate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate)** > > .mw-parser-output .ib-chembox{border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .ib-chembox td,.mw-parser-output .ib-chembox th{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:40%}.mw-parser-output .ib-chembox td+td{width:60%} > Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, and thermoforming for manufacturing... ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/69 "2017-09-30T17:08:01Z")
_Threnody_. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/70 "2017-09-30T17:29:29Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I’m partial to _discombobulated_. Definitely one I use the most when dealing with 4th graders.🙂 Educator lingo has many big words, some of which have already been mentioned: heterogeneous differentiation intervention phonological awareness correspondence interdependency interdisciplinary equivalency It’s Saturday, so I don’t have all my teacher books to consult for more. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/71 "2017-09-30T17:46:50Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Shenanigator is fun too. Wow, I guess that makes me a [shenanigatrix](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shenanigatrix). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/72 "2017-09-30T23:57:43Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Wow, I guess that makes me a [shenanigatrix](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shenanigatrix). Sadly, they didn’t make the distinction on the t-shirt. [https://www.zazzle.com/shenanigator\_t\_shirt-235964936897647950](https://www.zazzle.com/shenanigator_t_shirt-235964936897647950) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/73 "2017-10-01T00:07:04Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > genitals to take off To do _what_ with? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/74 "2017-10-01T00:31:59Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > In Scorpion this week, Toby is trying to get a new term for genitals to take off and become part of everyday language. A Tamarian would say “Lorena Bobbitt, with the knife.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/75 "2017-10-01T15:04:53Z")
:p:p:p ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/76 "2017-10-01T23:22:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > For, me, since learning it as a kid, and it’s an obvious one, is [floccinaucinihilipilification](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdZFV4yFi-Y). Now, granted, I may have used that word only once or twice in real life, tongue-in-cheek, with somebody who would be familiar with it (or otherwise enjoy its use), but it always gives me a smile. One of my favourites. I was introduced to it in the course of a game of Dictionary about 30 years ago, and two days later came upon it again in a Robert Heinlein novel (I can’t now remember which one), which was enough to permanently stick it in memory. ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/77 "2017-10-02T09:05:36Z")
> [@naita](#): > > I’m partial to _discombobulated_. This is my favorite also. And I frequently use the word in real life. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427/78 "2017-10-02T09:25:58Z")
**Subdermatoglyphic**. Longest word in English with no repeated letters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-multi-syllabic-word/797427.md?page=3)