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Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Longest English-language dictionary word

Longest English-language dictionary word

Note

the longest word in the English language

****** ( ) is a 45-letter word coined in 1935 by Everett M. Smith, the then-president of the National Puzzlers' League. It has sometimes been used as a synonym for the occupational disease known as silicosis, but it should not be, as most silicosis is not related to mining of volcanic dusts. Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest word in the English language published in a popular dictionary, Oxford Dictionaries, which defines it as "an artificial long word said to mean a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust".

Clinical and toxicological research conducted on volcanic crystalline silica has found little to no evidence of its ability to cause silicosis/-like diseases and geochemical analyses have shown that there are inherent factors in the crystalline structure which may render volcanic crystalline silica much less pathogenic than some other forms of crystalline silica.

Etymology and history

can be analysed as follows:

  1. Pneumono: from ancient Greek (πνεύμων, pneúmōn) which means lungs
  2. ultra: from Latin, meaning beyond
  3. micro and scopic: from ancient Greek, meaning small looking, referring to the fineness of particulates
  4. silico-: from Latin, silicon
  5. volcano: from Latin, referring to volcano
  6. coni: from ancient Greek (κόνις, kónis) which means dust
  7. -osis: from ancient Greek, suffix to indicate a medical condition

This word was invented at a meeting of the National Puzzlers' League (NPL) by its president, Everett M. Smith. The word featured in the headline for an article published by the New York Herald Tribune on February 23, 1935, titled "Puzzlers Open 103rd Session Here by Recognizing 45-Letter Word":

Although it has been defined as an extension of pneumoconiosis, there is no scientific evidence for a similar disease related to volcanic silica particle exposures. The word was used in Frank Scully's puzzle book Bedside Manna, after which time, members of the NPL campaigned to include the word in major dictionaries.{{cite book | access-date = 19 October 2023 | archive-date = 19 October 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231019144752/https://www.academia.edu/82657609 | url-status = live

Any references to or silicosis being caused by "sharp particles [which] lacerate lining of lungs; causing victim to leak air from their lungs while simultaneously bleeding into their lung cavity" are inaccurate. Particles of a size able to enter the lung (

References

References

  1. "Definition of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis in Oxford dictionary (British and World English)". Oxford University Press.
  2. (2021-12-21). "Volcanic air pollution and human health: recent advances and future directions". Bulletin of Volcanology.
  3. (2012-11-19). "The structure of volcanic cristobalite in relation to its toxicity; relevance for the variable crystalline silica hazard". Particle and Fibre Toxicology.
  4. Rochlin, Dara. (2016-04-20). "Word Wednesday: Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis". Dara Rochlin Book Doctor.
  5. Staff. (1935-02-23). "Puzzlers Open 103rd Session Here by Recognizing 45-Letter Word". New York Herald Tribune.
  6. (2006-07-01). "The respiratory health hazards of volcanic ash: a review for volcanic risk mitigation". Bulletin of Volcanology.
  7. (2014). "English Lexicogenesis". Oxford University Press.
  8. Cole, Chris. (1989). "The Biggest Hoax". [[Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics]].
  9. Miller, Jeff. (2017-12-24). "A collection of word oddities and trivia: page 11, long words". A Collection of Word Oddities and Trivia.
  10. Bennett, Giles. "Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis".
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