English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

poly- +‎ syllabic

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Adjective [ edit ]

polysyllabic (not comparable)

( of a word ) Having more than one syllable; having multiple or many syllables. "Antidisestablishmentarianism" definitely qualifies as a polysyllabic word. ‘Polysyllabic’ is a polysyllabic word. ( 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.

Usage notes [ edit ]

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.

Synonyms [ edit ]

( of a word ) : multisyllabic

Antonyms [ edit ]

Related terms [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

polysyllabic (plural polysyllabics)

A word having more than one syllable