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THEPOSH - 23 Jul 2005 11:24 GMT

Is there a word to mean,the using of long words/someone who uses long
words
for no apparent reason other than to feel superior.

We have tolerated such a person at work for some time now,and this would
help our cause,without to much damage to his ego. :)

Thankyou in advance,
Covent Garden Traders.

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John of Aix - 22 Jul 2005 19:40 GMT

> Is there a word to mean,the using of long words/someone who uses long
> words
> for no apparent reason other than to feel superior.
>
> We have tolerated such a person at work for some time now,and this
> would help our cause,without to much damage to his ego. :)

Pompous? No that will never do if you want to avoid ego damage.

Verbosity no good, loquaciousness, rather positive so no good either.

Hmm, how about logorrheic (I'd check the spelling if I were you)? It
isn't quite the same thing but might well get the message across.

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Molly Mockford - 22 Jul 2005 20:28 GMT

At 12:24:41 on Sat, 23 Jul 2005, THEPOSH
<jubilant@StamfordBridge.?.invalid> wrote in
<c9b59a2cd200c2c1dbea7d7f44d01fa0@localhost.talkaboutculture.com>:

> Is there a word to mean,the using of long words/someone who uses long
>words
>for no apparent reason other than to feel superior.

The word you want is sesquipedalian (and wow, Turnpike's spell-checker
knew it!). See <http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-ses1.htm>
for a full explanation.

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Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

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John Dean - 23 Jul 2005 00:46 GMT

> Is there a word to mean,the using of long words/someone who uses
> long words
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Thankyou in advance,
> Covent Garden Traders.

Windbag.

Signature

John Dean
Oxford

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Bob Cunningham - 23 Jul 2005 05:38 GMT

> > Is there a word to mean,the using of long
> > words/someone who uses long words for no apparent
> > reason other than to feel superior.

> > We have tolerated such a person at work for
> > some time now,and this would help our cause,
> > without to much damage to his ego. :)

> > Thankyou in advance,
> > Covent Garden Traders.

> Windbag.

Sesquipedalianist?

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THEPOSH - 24 Jul 2005 06:09 GMT

sesquipedalian or sesquipedallanist
it is then.

I can picture him rushing home and frantically looking it up after work
on Monday. :))

Thanks again.

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Jim - 23 Jul 2005 13:23 GMT

THEPOSH wrote...

> sesquipedalian or sesquipedallanist
> it is then.
>
> I can picture him rushing home and frantically looking it up after work
> on Monday. :))

even better...
hyperpolysyllabicsesquipedalianist

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Discussion Groups / British English / July 2005

Looking for an apt word?