The longest word?

What’s the longest word in the English language?

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

That’s 45 letters, 19 syllables and, if you can pronounce it, some serious nerd bona fides. So what does it mean? Let’s break it down…

pneumono

From the Greek pneúmōn, for lung

ultramicroscopic

Really super small

silico

Pertaining to silicon, or carbon

volcano

Specifically, carbon that comes from volcanic rock, a.k.a. coal

coni

From the Greek konis, or dust.

osis

Signifying inflamation or infection

Translation:

An infection of the lungs caused by very fine coal dust.

Also known as black lung disease.