How Many Syllables in Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious has 14 syllables: su-per-cal-i-frag-il-is-tic-ex-pi-al-i-do-cious.
Learn how many syllables are in supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, how to divide this famous word into syllables, and how to pronounce all 14 syllables correctly.
in Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
How to Pronounce Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Tap play to hear how to pronounce supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in an American or British accent — all 14 syllables at once. See the phonetic transcript above for the exact sounds.
Voice playback isn’t supported in this browser. The IPA above (/ˌsuː-pər-ˌkæl-ə-ˌfrædʒ-ə-ˌlɪs-tɪk-ˌɛk-spi-ˌæl-ə-ˈdoʊ-ʃəs/) shows the exact pronunciation.
Why Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Breaks This Way
Here’s how to break supercalifragilisticexpialidocious into syllables: su-per-cal-i-frag-il-is-tic-ex-pi-al-i-do-cious. At 34 letters and 14 syllables, it’s often cited as the longest word in mainstream English, built from multiple smaller word fragments (super-, cali-, fragilistic-, expiali-, -docious) stitched together rather than from real Latin or Greek roots. Breaking it into syllables really means separating these 14 built-in sound chunks, one per written syllable, each pairing a consonant with a vowel. You may see slight variation in how different sources divide the word, though this breakdown reflects the standard version, confirmed by most pronunciation guides and dictionaries.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (adjective (nonsense word)): Here’s a plain description: a playful word meaning roughly “wonderful” or “extraordinarily good,” popularized by the 1964 Disney movie Mary Poppins. Its meaning is intentionally vague — the film’s own definition is “something to say when you have nothing to say.”
Want the general method behind this, not just this one word? Read how to break any word into syllables for the full set of rules.
Common Mistake
A common mistake is dropping a syllable when saying it fast, especially the second i in -ali- or the split between ex and pi — both often blur together in casual speech, making the word sound shorter than its correct 14-syllable count.
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Synonyms of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
This coined word doesn’t have true synonyms, but here are a few real words with a similar meaning.
- wonderful (3)
- fantastic (3)
- extraordinary (6)
- marvelous (3)
Words With a Similar Syllable Count
A few other famously long English words with a similarly high syllable count.
- antidisestablishmentarianism (12)
- floccinaucinihilipilification (12)
- honorificabilitudinitatibus (12)
- pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (15–19)
Words That Rhyme With Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
There are no words that rhyme with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious — it’s the only word in English with this ending, which makes it a fitting example of just how unique this one word is.
- no rhymes exist — it’s the only word with this ending in English
Frequently Asked Questions
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious has 14 syllables: su-per-cal-i-frag-il-is-tic-ex-pi-al-i-do-cious.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious splits as su-per-cal-i-frag-il-is-tic-ex-pi-al-i-do-cious, with the stress on the “do” part.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is typically used as an adjective (nonsense word).
Here’s how to break supercalifragilisticexpialidocious into syllables: su-per-cal-i-frag-il-is-tic-ex-pi-al-i-do-cious. At 34 letters and 14 syllables, it’s often cited as the longest word in mainstream English, built from multiple smaller word fragments (super-, cali-, fragilistic-, expiali-, -docious) stitched together rather than from real Latin or Greek roots. Breaking it into syllables really means separating these 14 built-in sound chunks, one per written syllable, each pairing a consonant with a vowel. You may see slight variation in how different sources divide the word, though this breakdown reflects the standard version, confirmed by most pronunciation guides and dictionaries.
In short: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious has 14 syllables, 34 letters, and comes from the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins, where it was sung by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and written by songwriter Richard M. Sherman. This description covers the word’s spelling, pronunciation, and meaning in full.
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