antidisestablishmentarianism

antidisestablishmentarianism (n.)

"opposition to disestablishment of the Church of England," 1838,

said by Weekley to be first recorded in Gladstone's "Church and

State." Theestablishmentis "the ecclesiastical systemestablished by law" (1731), specifically "the Church of England"(1731). Henceestablishmentarianism"the principle of astate church" (1846) anddisestablish(1590s) "todeprive (a church) of especial state patronage and support" (first usedspecifically of Christian churches in 1806), which are married in this word.Rarely used at all now except in examples of the longest words, amongst whichit has been counted at least since 1901.