ten-cent word
A long word used in place of a short one with the intent to appear sophisticatedA long word used in place of a short one with the intent to appear sophisticated.
Meaning
2 senses(idiomatic)A long word used in place of a short one with the intent to appear sophisticated.
(idiomatic)A short and common word used in place of a longer and more uncommon one.
Origin
Sense 1 is part of the broader family of expressions that includes ten-dollar word and fivSense 1 is part of the broader family of expressions that includes ten-dollar word and five-dollar word, which are straightforwardly derived by associating monetary value with sophistication. Sense 1 and the other synonym twenty-five cent word may have been derived in the same way and would be holdovers of times when cents had more purchasing power and could be considered expensive.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: ten-cent words| Singular | ten-cent word |
|---|---|
| Plural | ten-cent words |
regular
Synonyms
3 synonymsAntonyms
3 antonymsSee also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.