Monday, July 24, 2006

word of the day

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, noun
(NOO-muh-noh-UL-truh-MY-kruh-SKOP-ik-SIL-i-koh-VOL-kay-no-koh-NEE-o-sis, nyoo-)

A lung disease caused by inhaling fine particles of silica.

This one happens to be the longest word ever to appear in an english language dictionary, the etymology of which is:
* pneumono = related to lungs (Latin, from Greek)
* ultra = beyond (Latin, as in "ultraviolet")
* microscopic = extremely small (Latin/Old English, from Greek mikron, small, and
skopos, view)
* silico = silica (Latin)
* volcano = volcano (Latin)
* coni = related to dust (Greek: konis, dust)
* osis = disease / condition (Greek)

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