While perusing my Brobdingnagian list of oddball vocabulary for this week’s selection, I noted that very early on, I’d included “sesquipedalian.” The wonderful American Heritage Dictionary defines this as “long and ponderous,” “polysyllabic” or “given to using long words.”

Perfect, I thought; let’s focus this list on words of unusual length.

So in keeping with the theme of “a little too much,” here’s a baker’s dozen — with my usual nod to dictionary.com for many of these definitions.

Chryselephantine (kris-ell-uh-FAN-tin, adjective) – Combining Greek roots related to gold (“chrys”) and ivory (that’s what “elephant” originally meant), this word describes objects made with those two substances.

Circumbendibus (sir-kum-BEND-uh-bus, noun) – A roundabout way, especially in speaking; synonym for “circumlocution.” (And yes, it comes from the prefix “circum,” meaning “around,” and the word “bend” — with a fake Latin ending tacked on for jocular effect.)

Hemidemisemiquaver (hem-ee-dem-ee-SEM-ee-kway-ver, noun) – In music, a 64th note. Since the beat usually occurs on a quarter note (so-called because it’s that fraction of four-beat measure), this would be a very short tone representing one-fourth of a beat. (“Hemi,” “demi” and “semi” are all prefix-terms meaning “half”; since “quaver” can mean “eighth note,” then one half of one half of one half of that = 1/64.)

Hendecasyllabic (hen-duh-kuh-sill-AB-ik, adjective) – Having 11 syllables (“hendeca” means 11). Not terribly useful, since very few words fall into this category — though our next entry, with 12, comes close.

Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-poo-AH-ah, noun) – This truly sesquipedalian word is a Hawaiian term for two species of triggerfish. A colorful and odd-looking reef-dweller that looks like it was made from leftover parts of other sea-creatures, it is the Hawaiian state fish. I first came upon it in the lunatic Bugs Bunny short “Wackiki Wabbit” (1943), one of the best of those early Looney Toons.

Intussusception (in-tuh-suh-SEP-shun, noun) – Literally “the act of taking in,” this is most commonly used to describe a potentially life-threatening medical condition when part of the intestine folds inside the other, like a telescope. Without being too gross, let’s just say it can usually be treated without surgery.

Jiggery-pokery (JIG-uh-ree-PO-ku-ree, noun) – Hocus-pocus or underhanded tricks; also, manipulation. From “jouk” (fast movement) and the British “pawky” (cunning, sly).

Labyrinthodont (lab-uh-RINTH-uh-dahnt, noun) – A now-extinct group of lizard-like amphibians from prehistoric times. As per its final syllable, the term describes an odd folding of the creatures’ tooth enamel.

Opisthognathous (op-iss-THOG-nuh-thuss) – Having receding jaws.

Philoprogenitiveness (fill-oh-pro-JEN-uh-tiv-ness, noun) – The trait of producing abundant offspring; or of having love for one’s children. Not a common term, it can nonetheless be found in O. Henry’s uproarious story “The Ransom of Red Chief” — which, incidentally, is in the public domain and readily available online.

Slubberdegullion (slub-ur-dee-GULL-yon, noun) – A scoundrel; a slovenly or worthless person. I first encountered this on Genesis’s early double LP “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” (1974) — a solid candidate for the greatest album ever made. At the time, I thought lyricist Peter Gabriel had simply made it up.

Snollygoster (SNOLL-ee-goss-ter, noun) – A clever or unprincipled person — to which one website adds, “especially a politician”; gotta love it!

Wamble-cropped (WAM-bull-cropped, adjective) – Sickly; having a noisy or upset stomach. (“Wamble” is an obscure term for nausea or unsteadiness.)

“Brobdingnagian,” by the way, means “gigantic” and derives from the race of Brobdingnags in the novel “Gulliver’s Travels” (which is why it’s capitalized). “Sesquipedalian” contains the well-known base “ped-” and literally means “one and a half feet.”