Floccinaucinihilipilification is just one of those words you see on lists of strange but actual words, and it was just too good to pass up. Pronunciation is not easy just because of the number of letters (29) and syllables, if for no other reason. It is also one letter longer than antidisestablishmentarianism, which I thought for decades was the longest word in the dictionary.
Phonetically it sounds something like “floxy naci na hilly a pili fication” and it is a word from the eighteenth century. If you look it up you will find several different pronunciations, which is logical for such a strange word.
What does it mean? If you combine four different Latin words flocci+nauci+nihill+pilli and then add filication, you are just about there. All of these words mean something that is unimportant or of little or no value, and the filication on the end just means things that are combined.
Using it in a sentence would be nothing more than impressing your friends because it is too easy to say “worthless” or “of no value.”
“Do not be surprised at your friend’s floccinaucinihilipilification when you use long words to impress them.”
“Despite many critics’ floccinaucinihilipilification of his talents, he persevered and ultimately succeeded at writing.”
“The school board meeting was filled with floccinaucinihilipilification as some teachers insisted on downplaying the significance of the proposed schedule.”
Reckon often seems like a slang term when it is used in dialogue. But reckon is an accurate word that means calculating, estimating, or computing something. You would not consider it slang if someone said, “They arrived on time without the help of a compass and just used their dead reckoning skills.”
But if someone said, “I reckon I will,” you might consider that sentence slang. Technically, it is not slang, but it is correct. Often it is regarded as a Southern United States term.
“I reckon we can make it to the summit by nightfall if we start now.”
“I reckon we will need two more bags of cement to fill the hole.”
“I reckon it will get off this trash heap by three o’clock.”
Using the two in a sentence is difficult, but it can be done with a little effort.
“I reckon that despite some naysayers’ floccinaucinihilipilification of our ideas, we will create a great design for the new house.”
“Even though there was some floccinaucinihilipilification of our drawings, I reckon we will still finish our new sketchbook on time.”
