Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
/ˌnjuːməˌnoʊˌʌltrəˌmaɪkrəˌskɒpɪkˌsɪlɪkoʊˌvɒlkeɪnoʊkəˌnoʊsɪs/noun
A lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silicate or quartz dust.
Did you know?This tongue-twister was coined in 1935 as a deliberately long word to serve as the longest word in the English language, but it reveals the deadly nature of inhaling fine dust, especially from volcanoes.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
“breath, spirit, or soul”
19th Century
English
microscopic
“pertaining to things observable only with a microscope”
19th Century
Latin
silica
“the silicon dioxide found in quartz”
19th Century
Latin
volcanus
“the Roman god of fire, relating to volcanic activity”
20th Century
English
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
“a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine volcanic silica dust”
Explore more surprising origins