word of the day: Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

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"Today’s Word of the Day is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia — yes, it’s a real word (and a real tongue-twister)! Learn about the fear of long words in just 60 seconds, with a little academic twist and a lot of fun!

Transcript

00:00Today's topic, Hippopotamonstrosisquipidaleophobia, the fear of long words.

00:05Yes, ironically, the word itself is long enough to scare anyone who might have it.

00:11This term describes the anxiety or distress some people feel when encountering lengthy

00:15words often tied to fear of mispronunciation or public embarrassment.

00:19Imagine being afraid of the very thing you have to name, it's like being allergic to

00:23the word allergy.

00:24Now, it's important to note, Hippopotamonstrosisquipidaleophobia is not officially recognized as a clinical

00:31diagnosis.

00:32It's more of a humorous, unofficial label than a formal psychological condition.

00:37Researchers suggest that while the fear is real for some, the term itself might just

00:41be adding insult to injury.

00:44In short, if a long word makes you sweat, you're not alone.

00:48But thankfully, you probably won't find this diagnosis written on any official medical

00:51forms, mostly because no one wants to spell it.

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