📏 15 Longest Words in the French Language
French is famous for its elegance, but did you know it also has some incredibly long words?
Many of them come from scientific, medical, or administrative vocabulary.
While you won’t use them every day, they show the richness of the French language.
Here’s a list of the 15 longest French words, their length, and what they mean.
1. Anticonstitutionnellement (25 letters)
👉 Often called the longest French word.
Meaning: “unconstitutionally.” Rare in daily speech, but often cited in school as the long French word.
2. Intersyndicalisation (20 letters)
Meaning: The grouping of trade unions.
3. Désinstitutionnalisation (23 letters)
Meaning: The process of reducing or eliminating institutions, especially in mental health contexts.
4. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobie (30+ letters)
👉 This ultra-long word refers to the fear of the number 666.
5. Électroencéphalographiquement (27 letters)
Meaning: In a way related to electroencephalography (a medical brain examination).
6. Anticonstitutionnel (22 letters)
Meaning: “Unconstitutional.” The adjective form of anticonstitutionnellement.
7. Sociodémocratisation (20 letters)
Meaning: The process of becoming social-democratic.
8. Psychopharmacologique (22 letters)
Meaning: Relating to the study of drugs that affect the mind.
9. Thyroparathyroïdectomisé (25 letters)
Meaning: Someone who has had both thyroid and parathyroid glands surgically removed.
10. Démocratisation (16 letters)
Meaning: The process of making something accessible to more people, “democratization.”
11. Institutionnalisation (22 letters)
Meaning: The process of becoming institutionalized.
12. Microélectrophorétique (23 letters)
Meaning: Related to micro-electrophoresis, a laboratory technique.
13. Incompatibilité (16 letters)
Meaning: Incompatibility, impossibility of coexisting.
14. Intergouvernementalisations (29 letters)
Meaning: The process of becoming intergovernmental.
15. Hydropneumatiquement (22 letters)
Meaning: In a hydropneumatic way, relating to a technical system combining air and water pressure (used in mechanics).
✅ Quick Recap
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The most famous longest French word is anticonstitutionnellement (25 letters).
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Many long French words come from science, medicine, and politics.
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While rarely used in daily speech, they are fun examples of how complex French vocabulary can get.
🎯 Practice Exercise
Try to pronounce these long words aloud — it’s a great way to practice French sounds and syllable stress!
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Anticonstitutionnellement
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Électroencéphalographiquement
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Psychopharmacologique
Conclusion
The longest French words may not appear in everyday conversation, but they are part of the richness of the language. From medical to political terms, they reflect how French builds words by combining Latin and Greek roots.
👉 Pro tip: If you want to impress French speakers, drop anticonstitutionnellement into a conversation — they’ll be amazed you know it!
TAGS: longest French words, 15 biggest words in French, longest word anticonstitutionnellement, fun French vocabulary, French language curiosities