Have you ever been confused by the definition of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!
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What does the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious mean?
According to Dictionary and Cambridge Dictionary, the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a nonsense word that means wonderful or good. This long word was popularised in the Walt Disney movie Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke. While some may say this is a made-up word or not a real word, new words are added to the English language all the time as they gain meaning through popular culture. Some people may argue whether or not it belongs in Scrabble (if they can even spell a word that long!) but overall, the word means wonderful and is one of the longest words in the English language.
While you may not find the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in other languages, you will find equivalent words for its definition. Below is a list of many ways in which you can describe something as wonderful in other languages. This list of translations is provided by Word Sense.
How can the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious be used in a sentence?
While the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is not commonly used in sentences aside from being used for emphasis, it might be used by a child to describe something that is wonderful or amazing when they can’t find a word big enough to describe it. In this example, Tony has just gone on his first roller coaster.
Dad: Well, buddy? What did you think?
Tony: It was… it was…
Dad: Fun? Awesome? Terrifying?
Tony: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Let’s go on it again! That was the best ride I’ve ever been on. Some on, dad. We have to go again!
Here, Tony uses the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to describe how he felt about the ride. In this next example, Tony’s teacher is passing out the exams she has graded.
Teacher: I am very proud of the work you have all done. Tony, great job – supercalifragilisticexpialidocious even!
What are synonyms and antonyms for the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
While you may not find the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in a Thesaurus, there are certainly synonyms for this word. At its core, the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious means wonderful. It is incredibly useful to know synonyms for the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Since it is a made-up word, it is not always appropriate to sue it in professional or formal settings. Additionally, the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is long and difficult to spell. It is useful to know synonyms to expand your vocabulary and to avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms for the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is provided by Thesaurus.
dynamite
pleasing
fine
astounding
startling
superb
outstanding
admirable
wonderful
amazing
incredible
miraculous
strange
enjoyable
awesome
groovy
surprising
swell
stupendous
staggering
fabulous
sensational
prime
extraordinary
peachy
phenomenal
wondrous
tremendous
magnificent
great
divine
cool
unheard-of
too much
excellent
super
astonishing
marvelous
remarkable
brilliant
pleasant
fantastic
terrific
something else
awe-inspiring
There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning of the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. These are called antonyms. Antonyms are also very useful to know if you wish to expand your vocabulary or knowledge of English grammar. This list of antonyms for the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is also provided by Thesaurus.
defective
cruddy
imperfect
dreadful
sad
raunchy
bad
downer
bad news
gross
lousy
rough
fallacious
careless
beastly
blah
junky
substandard
unacceptable
godawful
poor
grody
amiss
off
grungy
awful
cheap
dissatisfactory
icky
not good
crummy
bottom out
poor
the pits
stinking
cheesy
erroneous
inadequate
unsatisfactory
slipshod
atrocious
abominable
inferior
diddly
synthetic
crappy
deficient
incorrect
garbage
bummer
faulty
Where did the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious come from?
According to Merriam-Webster, the first known variant of the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is from a column in the Syracuse Daily Orange from the year 1931. Here, the columnist Helen Herman mused about her made-up word “supercaliflawjalisticexpialidoshus” and described it as something including all words in the category of wonderful. In the year 1949, a song called “Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus” was released. Later, the 1964 film Mary Poppins popularized the word with a song written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, called “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” The 1949 songwriters even filed a suit against the Sherman brothers for copyright infringement, which was later dropped in Sherman’s favor. In the film Mary Poppins, the word was used as a word to say when you have nothing to say. People have also begun to use the adjective form supercalifragilistic and the adverb form supercalifragilistically, though these are less common. These often mean wonderful or amazing. Overall, while the term was invented in the 1930s, the film Mary Poppins brought it into the common vernacular.
Overall, the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is a word that is often used to describe something as wonderful or amazing. This word was popularized by the 1964 children’s film Mary Poppins, though variations on the term date back to the 1930s.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.