Floccinaucinihilipilification (flok-sih-naw-sih-nih-hil-ih-pil-ih-fih-KAY-shun)
- First Known Use
- 1741
- Part of Speech
- Noun
- Definition
- The act or habit of judging something to be worthless or of little value.
Example: His immediate floccinaucinihilipilification of the idea ended before he had taken the time to understand what it could become.
Why It Matters: The word may sound almost comically complicated, but the idea behind it is familiar. People sometimes dismiss an idea, object, or possibility before giving it a fair chance. Curiosity often begins by resisting that impulse long enough to take a closer look.