Thursday 16 June 2011

ALMOST

An article in the DT today mentioned in passing that ALMOST was the longest english word that has its letters in alphabetical order.

Well I found it interesting. A few minutes on Google then told me there are 13 other six-letter words - but most are totally obsure, the only common ones being BIOPSY and CHINTZ.

For the record "AEGILOPS" is the longest English word spelled in alphabetical order (its an an obscure kind of oat grass).

Don't you feel better now, armed with this information....

Couldn't resist it ...now looked a Wikepedia and....

The longest words recorded in OED with each vowel only once, and in order, are abstemiously, affectiously, and tragediously
Strengths is the longest word in the English language containing only one vowel.
Rhythms is the longest word in the English language containing none of the five recognised vowels.
Schmaltzed and strengthed appear to be the longest monosyllabic words recorded in OED

Also

Dreamt and its derivatives are the only English words that end in mt.
Angry and hungry are the only English words that end in gry.
Cushion and fashion are the only English words that end in shion

Time to stop while you are still reading.

1 comment: