How to Pronounce the Fear of Long Words

• Pronounce "hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia" like "hippo-pa-toe-mon-stro-ses-quipped-alley-oh-phobia."

Know the word. It is hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.

Break the word into up into its root words. Hippopoto-monstro-sesuiquipedalio-phobia. Hippopoto is the misspelled form of Hippopotamus, Monstro comes from the Latin Monstrum, meaning Monster, Sesquipedalio comes from Sesquipedalian, a very long word, and lastly Phobia, an extreme or irrational fear of something.

Break the word up into easy to pronounce pieces. Hippo-poto-monstro-sesqui-pedalio-phobia.

Start with Hippo. It is pronounced Hi-poh.

Follow with Poto. Pronounce it as Po-toh.

Next comes Monstro. Say Mon-stroh.

Then there is Sesqui. Pronounce Ses-kwee.

Say Pedalio. This is pronounced as Peh-dah-leejoh.

Finish with Phobia. Say it like Foh-beejah.

Practice saying each piece.

Pronounce the whole word. Hi-poh-po-toh-mon-stroh-ses-kwee-peh-dah-leejoh-foh-beeja.

Practice the pronunciation until you can say the word without hesitations.