supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
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English
Etymology
First attested in the 1940s, it was made famous by its use in a song of the same title in the movie Mary Poppins (1964), by songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. Derived from Latin super (“beyond”) + calor (“heat”) + fragilis (“delicacy”) + expiātiō (“satisfaction”) + doceō (“teach”) + -ous. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌsuːpəˌkælɨˌfɹæd͡ʒɨˌlɪstɪkˌɛkspɪˌælɨˈdəʊʃəs/
- (General American) enPR: so͞o'pər-kăl'ĭ-fră'jĭ-lĭs'tĭk-ĕk'spē-ăl'ĭ-dōʹshəs, IPA(key): /ˌsupɚˌkælɪ̈ˌfɹæd͡ʒɪ̈ˌlɪstɪkˌɛkspiˌælɪ̈ˈdoʊʃəs/
Audio (UK) (file) Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -əʊʃəs
- Hyphenation: su‧per‧cal‧i‧frag‧i‧lis‧tic‧ex‧pi‧a‧li‧do‧cious
Adjective
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (not comparable)
- (humorous) Fantastic, very wonderful
- 1964 August 27, Mary Poppins, spoken by Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews):
- It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Usage notes
- Often cited as an example of a very long word.
Derived terms
Descendants
- → Italian: supercalifragilistichespiralidoso
- → Spanish: supercalifragilisticoexpialidoso
Translations
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
See also
- antidisestablishmentarianism
- floccinaucinihilipilification
- dacryocystorhinostomy
- hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
- pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
References
- “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
Categories:
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 14-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/əʊʃəs
- Rhymes:English/əʊʃəs/14 syllables
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English uncomparable adjectives
- Long English words
- English humorous terms
- English terms with quotations