4 ms·

What's a hundred-dollar word?

• inhumantsar 1y ago
  Using a long and/or fancy-sounding word in place of a simpler one. They're usually interpreted as the author trying to make themselves sound smarter or more authoritative than they are. Reminds me of one of Elmore Leonard's rules for writing: If it sounds like writing, rewrite it. (Also, I know this phrase as "five-dollar words". Inflation really is sneaky.)