quadrisyllableadj.n.
/ˈkwɒdrᵻˌsɪləbl/, U.S. /ˌkwɑdrəˈsɪləb(ə)l/ = quadrisyllabic adj. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > [adjective] > syllable > consisting of > consisting of specific number
disyllabea1637
disyllabica1637
trisyllabica1637
quadrisyllable1656
tetrasyllabical1656
trisyllabical1656
quadrisyllabous1678
disyllable1749
tetrasyllable1749
trisyllable1766
pentasyllabica1771
tetrasyllabic1775
quadrisyllabic1827
sexisyllabic1875
quadrisyllabical1890
1656 T. Blount Glossographia Quadrisyllable,..that hath four syllables.
B. n.
A word of four syllables.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > [noun] > syllabic sound > syllable > word having specific number
bissyllable1589
disyllable1589
tetrasyllable1589
trisyllable1589
quadrisyllable1706
pentasyllable1709
quadrisyllabic1776
septisyllable1834
octosyllable1846
sexisyllable1855
disyllabic1934
paralog1951
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Quadrisyllable, a Word made up of four Syllables.
1740 P. Sproson Art Reading p. v The following tables of the disyllables, trisyllables, quadrisyllables &c. In which..particular regard hath been had to the number of letters.
1838 J. C. Hare & A. W. Hare Guesses at Truth (ed. 2) 1st Ser. 109 Our dignity will not condescend to enter into any thing short of a quadrisyllable.
1884 Macmillan's Mag. Oct. 444/1 I will end the sentence with ignoramus..a quadrisyllable.
1964 C. Mackenzie Life & Times III. 201 What completely discouraged me was to be told that it was ‘Trastévere’ not ‘Trastevére’ and the loss of that resounding quadrisyllable made me abandon any further effort.
1988 Amer. Jrnl. Philol. 109 236 The quadrisyllable in the final foot again shows the difficulty of including a proper name.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1656