Multiple choice general knowledge Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is fear of long words short words medium words all kind of words -no matter how lengthy it is!!! Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself A Correct answer Explanation Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the irrational fear of long words. The term is deliberately ironic - it uses a 36-letter word to describe the fear of long words, making it one of the longest words in the English language.