floccinaucinihilipilification

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌflɒksɪˌnɒsɪˌnɪhɪlɪˌpɪlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, /ˌflɒksɪˌnɔːsɪˌnaɪɪlɪˌpɪlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
• SAMPA: /%flQksI%nQsI&nIhIlI%pIlIfI"keIS@n/, /%flQksI%nO:sI%naIIlI%pIlIfI"keIS@n/
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Etymology

The word is said to have been jokingly created by a student at Eton College in Eton, England. It uses three Latin words together that each mean "worthless" or "nothing": flocci, from floccus meaning "a small piece of wool" + nauci, from naucum meaning "a trifle" + nihili, from nihilum meaning "nothing" + pili, from pilus meaning "a hair" or "something not important" + -fication.

Noun

Singular floccinaucinihilipilification

Plural none

1. (uncountable)The act of thinking that something is worthless.
   • 1741: William Shenstone, Letters,

     I loved him for nothing so much as his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money.

   • 1970: Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander,

     There is a systematic flocci-nauci-nihili-pilification of all other aspects of existence that angers me.

Notes

The word is the longest non-technical word in the English language. It is one letter longer than antidisestablishmentarianism, which is often thought to be the longest word in English.