Monday, October 3, 2011

Big Word: Honorificabilitudinitatibus

Honorificabilitudinitatibus sounds like a made-up word, but it does exist. Not only that, it's been around for quite a while. This long word simply means "honorableness". The word first showed up in the English language around 1600, and by the 1720's, it was called the longest English word (according to Bailey's Dictionary).

For those that are fans of William Shakespeare, they may recognize this massive word. Shakespeare actually used the word in the comedy "Love's Labor's Lost", in Act V, Scene I.

It reads:
"O, they have lived long on the alms-basket of words.
I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word;
for thou art not so long by the head as
honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier
swallowed than a flap-dragon."

Bet you didn't know that!

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