Another Volcano-Related Word We Can't Pronounce -

If you thought the name of Iceland’s currently-erupting volcano was hard to pronounce, try this word. It’s a possible side effect of inhaling volcanic dust particles – and one of the many reasons we suggest having a face mask in your emergency kit.

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

[noo-muh-noh-uhl-truh-mahy-kruh-skop-ik-sil-i-koh-vol-key-noh-koh-nee-oh-sis]

–noun

an obscure term ostensibly referring to a lung disease caused by silica dust, sometimes cited as one of the longest words in the English language.

[Via Dictionary.com Word of The Day.]

photo via The Big Picture Blog – The volcano in southern Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier sends ash into the air Saturday, April 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti)

2 comments

Scott Waggoner says:

April 20, 2010 at 3:53 am

Now I'll have to make sure I have a face mask just to avoid ever having to tell people I have pneumonoultra….scopic…volcano…sis… … thingy. I wonder how it translates into Icelandic?
Robin Parker says:

April 20, 2010 at 3:39 pm

Ha! That word in Icelandic would have to be the hardest possible word to pronounce. Ever.

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