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Sesquipedalian Logodaedaly! Trivia Quiz

If you already know what sesquipedalian logodaedaly is, you'll probably like this quiz! If you don't know, don't worry, you'll find out when you play!

A multiple-choice quiz by ecoli23. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
ecoli23

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
261,012

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
816

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. I'll start this quiz by giving you an answer! "Sesquipedalian" means "pertaining to, or using long words". But what exactly is the root meaning of sesquipedalian? Hint

Derived from ancient Greek

About 46 centimetres

Tongue-twister

Boring old person

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "Logodaedalians", or "word wizards", can be a colourful bunch. All of the following words refer to colour in some way except for: Hint

Brunneous

Xanthocyanopsia

Purpuraceous

Rosorial

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. "Philtrum" is a strangely uncommon word, for a strangely common feature. Which show business personality never professionally exposed his or her philtrum? Hint

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Jim Morrison

Groucho Marx

Drew Barrymore

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. While you're fishing for answers, which of the following words has nothing to do with fish? Hint

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Halieutics

Hircismus

Harengiform

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. You have a friend who expresses the desire to move from a state of "steatopygia" to one of "callipygia". What DVD do you buy her for Christmas? Hint

"Buns of Steel"

"Carrot Top Rocks Las Vegas"

Complete first season of "The Sopranos"

Nothing, she's obviously a Zoroastrian and doesn't celebrate Christmas

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Leapin' lizards! I'll bet you've never met a reptile that was: Hint

Herpetofauna

Squamaceous

Pentapopemptic

Poikilothermal

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. If you were in a foot race with three other people, and you achieved the "preantepenultimate" position, you would have: Hint

Attained nirvana

Lost

Won

Hurt yourself

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Even Willy the Shake was a logodaedalian, maybe the best ever. Which of the following sesquipedalianisms can be found in the works of Shakespeare? Hint

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Honorificabilitudinitatibus

Antidisestablishmentarianism

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "But surely my dear, you must have realized from the start that I'm a confirmed gynotikolobomassophile," you murmur, as you: Hint

Nibble her ear

Do her dishes

Poison her wine

Slip into her underwear

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Which one of the following words did I make up just for this quiz? Hint

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Ultraglabrescentaceous

Quasihemidemisemiquaver

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I'll start this quiz by giving you an answer! "Sesquipedalian" means "pertaining to, or using long words". But what exactly is the root meaning of sesquipedalian?

Answer: About 46 centimetres

Sesquipedalian literally means "a foot and a half long" - or about 46 cm. "Sesqui-", meaning "one and a half", is a much-underused prefix, I think!

2. "Logodaedalians", or "word wizards", can be a colourful bunch. All of the following words refer to colour in some way except for:

Answer: Rosorial

"Rosorial" refers to garbage or, alternatively, the outer surface of tree bark. "Purpuraceous" and "brunneous" are just high-falutin' words for "purple" and "brown". "Xanthocyanopsia" is a form of colour-blindness.

3. "Philtrum" is a strangely uncommon word, for a strangely common feature. Which show business personality never professionally exposed his or her philtrum?

Answer: Groucho Marx

Groucho started his career wearing a greasepaint moustache, and later grew a real one, hiding the two little ridges on his upper lip - his philtrum!

4. While you're fishing for answers, which of the following words has nothing to do with fish?

Answer: Hircismus

"Halieutics" is the act of fishing; "harengiform" means "herring-shaped" (useful word, that!); and "humuhumunukunukuapua'a" is a small Hawaiian fish. "Hircismus" means foul-smelling armpits, if you must know.

5. You have a friend who expresses the desire to move from a state of "steatopygia" to one of "callipygia". What DVD do you buy her for Christmas?

Answer: "Buns of Steel"

A callipgyian person has a shapely rear; a steatopygian one has a fat butt. Makes you wonder why these words aren't in more common use, doesn't it?

6. Leapin' lizards! I'll bet you've never met a reptile that was:

Answer: Pentapopemptic

"Herpetofauna" (reptile life) are generally "squamaceous" (scaly) and "poikilothermal" (cold-blooded), but not usually "pentapopemptic" (divorced five times).

7. If you were in a foot race with three other people, and you achieved the "preantepenultimate" position, you would have:

Answer: Won

It means "fourth from last". "Penultimate" actually means "second from last" and I find it hilarious when people use it to mean "better than ultimate" or "supreme". But then, I'm easily amused.

8. Even Willy the Shake was a logodaedalian, maybe the best ever. Which of the following sesquipedalianisms can be found in the works of Shakespeare?

Answer: Honorificabilitudinitatibus

It's in "Love's Labours Lost". Look it up! (I sincerely hope you didn't choose "supercalifragilistic...")

9. "But surely my dear, you must have realized from the start that I'm a confirmed gynotikolobomassophile," you murmur, as you:

Answer: Nibble her ear

Literally translated from Greek roots: one who loves to chew on the lobe of a woman's ear.

10. Which one of the following words did I make up just for this quiz?

Answer: Ultraglabrescentaceous

If "ultraglabrescentaceous" was a word, it would mean "beyond smooth and hairless". The others, believe it or not, are a kind of lung disease, a very short musical note, and yes, a word even longer than a sesquipedalian one!

Almost all of the words I used in this quiz can be found in "Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words", by Josefa Heifetz Byrne, Citadel Press, 1974 (among other sources). Thank you, Mrs. Byrne!

Source: Author ecoli23

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stuthehistoryguy before going online.
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