Why is Tongue Twister 'Floccinaucinihilipilification' Trending? Here's What It Means & How It Is Related To Sitharaman Defamation Case

New Delhi: Why is the 29-letter word 'floccinaucinihilipilification' trending? The tongue twister has grabbed the attention of public after Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court used the extremely long word while hearing a defamation case filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti's wife, Lipika Mitra.

The court dismissed the case filed against Sitharaman, with Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal saying that the case amounted to "floccinaucinihilipilification".

"The word is 'floccinaucinihilipilification', which implies 'something valueless or worthless'. The present complaint is nothing but the word stated above, wherein a valueless or worthless material has been stretched too long," Dalal said.

What Does Floccinaucinihilipilification Mean?

Defination- Floccinaucinihilipilification is the action or habit of estimating something as worthless, trivial or of no value.

Pronunciation- /ˌflɒk.sɪ.nɔː.sɪ.nɪ.hɪl.ɪ.pɪl.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ (flok-si-naw-si-ni-hil-i-pil-i-fi-kay-shun)

Origin- The word was coined in the 18th century. It was formed by combining four Latin words (flocci, nauci, nihili, pili) and adding the suffix fication. All of the four wordws mean "of no value".

Here's how you can use the word in a sentence-  "Malti broke down following her parents' floccinaucinihilipilification of her new job."

Why Was Case Filed Against Sitharaman?

Nirmala Sitharaman had addressed a press conference during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Following the conference, Bharti filed a complaint under Section 356(1) and 356(2) of BNS, accusing Sitharaman of making statements regarding the marital discord between her and her husband.

She alleged that Sitharaman's statements were meant to hurt her and her husband solely for political gains to BJP’s candidate and political loss to the complainant’s husband during 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The complaint added, “The accused [Sitharaman] spoke about the matrimonial discord of the complainant and her husband but withheld the information of their reunion and living together happily.”

While hearing the case, the Delhi court said, “The press conference when seen in totality seems like narrations and political assertions made before the media and the public by the Sitharaman."

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