Osse...um, osseo...osseocarn... what the hell is that?

Osseocarnisanguineoviscericartilaginonervomedullary, also spelt osseocarnisanguineoviscericartilagininervomedullary, is a term that describes the structure of the human body. The term originated in the novel Headlong Hall by Thomas Love Peacock, where you will also find the similar term osteosarchaematosplanchnochondroneuromuelous.

OK, but what does it mean? The word is essentially a compound adjective, arising from the stringing together of pre-existing terms to form a super term. Here adjectives describing the body have been strung together. Osseocarnisanguineoviscericartilaginonervomedullary is made with Latin terms, and osteosarchaematosplanchnochondroneuromuelous is made with Greek terms.

Does it have a definition? Yes, but the definition is only derivative of the parts.

• osseo = bone
• carn = flesh
• sanguine = blood
• viscera = soft internal organs
• cartilagin = cartilage (strong connective tissue)
nervo = the nerves
• medullary = the inner core, or the marrow

Just as a note, osteosarc... has exactly the same definitions, but I don't need to break it up into its components and define it.

So, there it is, a particularly unuseless word that succinctly describes the human body. And a synonym to boot. Some of this information is also found in The Book Of Lists.