antidisestablishmentarian

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English

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Etymology

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From anti- +‎ disestablishment +‎ -arian.

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (UK):(file)

Noun

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antidisestablishmentarian (plural antidisestablishmentarians)

  1. One who believes that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state. [hapax legomenon from 19th c.]
    • 1892, letter of Edward White Benson, quoted in James Anderson Carr, The life-work of Edward White Benson, D.D., sometime Archbishop of Canterbury. London: Elliot Stock, 1898.
      But the Free Kirk of the north of Scotland are strong anti-Disestablishmentarians. A meeting for Disestablishment can't be got up, even by popular Ministers.
    • 1900 letter to Pall Mall Gazette
      A correspondent gives "nonintercommunicability" as the longest word In the English language. While reading the life of Archbishop Benson I came across the following extract from his diary for September, 1892 (page 411): "But the free kirk of the north of Scotland are strong antidisestablishmentarians"—ten syllables, twenty-six letters!

Translations

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Adjective

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antidisestablishmentarian (comparative more antidisestablishmentarian, superlative most antidisestablishmentarian)

  1. Of or relating to the belief that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state.
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