antidisestablishmentarian

One who believes that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state.

1892, letter of Edward White Benson, quoted in James Anderson Carr, The life-work of Edward White Benson, D.D., sometime Archbishop of Canterbury. London: Elliot Stock, 1898. But the Free Kirk of the north of Scotland are strong anti-Disestablishmentarians. A meeting for Disestablishment can't be got up, even by popular Ministers.

1900 letter to Pall Mall Gazette A correspondent gives "nonintercommunicability" as the longest word In the English language. While reading the life of Archbishop Benson I came across the following extract from his diary for September, 1892 (page 411): "But the free kirk of the north of Scotland are strong antidisestablishmentarians"—ten syllables, twenty-six letters!

Of or relating to the belief that the Church of England should retain its formal constitutional relationship with the state.