Fear Of Long Words? Shashi Tharoor Explains With Very Long Word In Latest Tweet

Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor is no stranger to strange, obscure words. After leaving everyone puzzled yesterday with the word floccinaucinihilipilification that he used in a tweet to announce his latest book, The Paradoxical Prime Minister, he took to Twitter about an hour ago to promise his readers that the book would not contain any words longer than paradoxical. But in classic Shashi Tharoor style, he made the announcement while using another very long word - one that specifically refers to the fear of long words.

"I'm sorry if one of my tweets y'day gave rise to an epidemic of hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!" wrote Mr Tharoor.

"[Don't bother looking it up: it's just a word describing a fear of long words]" he added.

I'm sorry if one of my tweets y'day gave rise to an epidemic of hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!
[Don't bother looking it up: it's just a word describing a fear of long words].
But #TheParadoxicalPrimeMinister contains no words longer than Paradoxical! https://t.co/8h0zkcHnb2

- Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 11, 2018

Well, now you know a long word to describe the fear of long words, just in case it ever comes up in a conversation.

Since being shared just one hour ago, the tweet has already garnered over 3,000 'likes' and a ton of responses.

Wouldn't be surprised if someone contracts pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis after reading his tweet... https://t.co/5LziML8B7J

- Jarshad NK (@jarshadnk) October 11, 2018

hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.......BHAI ISSE CHOTI TOH MERI LIFE HAI

- (@Ayushbeta7) October 11, 2018

How you manage 280 character tweet?

- sumitt (@gsumitt) October 11, 2018

#ShashiTharoor is the reason everyone still knows to check a dictionary. https://t.co/PfIZRki4vX

- Smitha T K (@smitha_tk) October 11, 2018

In the past, Mr Tharoor has familiarised his followers with other long, rarely-used words. The list includes lalochezia, farrago, rodomontade, webaqoof and snollygoster.