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'It reminds me of when our kids were babies.'

DEFINITION: n. A wayward scent or aroma which invokes distant memories of one's childhood or younger days. v. To be suddenly catapulted into the past by a very strong odor.

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Verboticisms

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Melancholfactory

Created by: kalex

Pronunciation: Me-lin-kol-fa-k-ter-eee

Sentence: The smell had a melancholfactory essence, subtly reminding me of years before, when Jack and I had also caught ourselves on fire. Burnt flesh! That brings it all back!

Etymology: melancholy-a forlorn feeling sometimes associated with nostalgia olfactory-having to do with or of the sense of smell, odor

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Reministench

Created by: splendiction

Pronunciation: re min i stench

Sentence: The acrid air wafting from the recycling bin reministenched Tony of the time the offensive odor of his brother's...Tony fled the funky room to awaken his parents. Presently Tony, clutching his stomach, reconsidered that his class recycle empty food containers. Suddenly one of Tony’s students announced: “Mr. N., Kitana left something in the recycling bin during art class. She ate some of the wall paper paste.”

Etymology: Reminisce (recall and think about a memory) and stench (bad or pungent odor): to smell a familiar odor and be reminded of the events surrounding the odor.

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Rememaroma

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: re-mem-ah-ROME-ah

Sentence: Oscar's wife, Hattie, could tell by the sly smile that crossed Oscar's face when she entered the room where he was just awakening that her fragrance gave him a pleasurable rememaroma, and she blushed at the thoughts that crossed her own mind.

Etymology: Blend of 'remember' (to recall something) and 'aroma' (scent or odor)

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Reminessence

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: rem in ess sens

Sentence: Howard was completing the Circle of Life. He had started out as a baby, grew through childhood to adulthood and now as a senior was regressing back to needing the care one gives an infant. His wife Margery tended his needs and the odors of caring for another human took her back to her own child-rearing years: the feedings, the changings, the bathing and looking after an increasingly helpless person. Sometimes the scent of adult diapers were reminessence of those she had put on her own children. The scent took her back to a time when she and Howard had worked hard and enjoyed the rewards of a growing family. Who says you cannot go back again? Margery did it every day now...

Etymology: Reminiscence (a mental impression retained and recalled from the past;the process of remembering (especially the process of recovering information by mental effort) & Essence (a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor)

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COMMENTS:

like it - galwaywegian, 2009-03-23: 11:07:00

You have captured that cradle-to-the-grave, circle of life, with reminissence. Powerful word! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:47:00

Your word is beautiful - I didn't realize mine starts the same way (remin. from reminisce/reminiscence). - splendiction, 2009-03-23: 16:43:00

Captured perfectly! - kateinkorea, 2009-03-23: 23:34:00

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Retrostench

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: re-tro-stench

Sentence: Wandering through the empty bingo hall, Jean soon became aware of a retrostench that was clearly that of an old lady marinated in Lilly of the Valley toilet water perfume. "It couldn't be," she thought, "Grandma's been dead for 20 years."

Etymology: Retro--involving, relating to or reminicent of things past Stench--an offensive smell or odor

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COMMENTS:

super word - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:25:00

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Olefactory

Created by: Banky

Pronunciation: /ohl-fak-torr-ee/

Sentence: Ron's nose smelled heated metal and stinging welled in his eyes. The punch had landed squarely on the bridge of his nose, and had trigged an olefactory reaction. He remembered the first time his stepdad had hit him. The terror as he grabbed him by the back of the shirt, the smell of red iron, a mouth full of blood, and his stepfather writhing and clawing at the side of his own head. He snapped out of the memory with a mouth full of salt and rubber, and there lay the mugger doubled much the way John was, years ago. He spat, and the ear landed askew on the ground, like a fallen leaf.

Etymology: ole - colloquial version of "old"; olfactory - relating to the sense of smell

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COMMENTS:

pretty graphic but a terrific word - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:28:00

Your sentence ranks right up there with the best of Steven King! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:41:00

Really good word and terrific sentence. - kateinkorea, 2009-03-23: 23:29:00

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Pussypooper

Created by: poopododo

Pronunciation: Pussy-pooper

Sentence: It is the satisfying sound made by heavy lifting ones body of a floosy.

Etymology: It arrived by parcel from Germany as a spellbound astonishment.

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Historeek

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: hisss tor eeeek

Sentence: the historeek led to hystereeks

Etymology: historic reek

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Smelementary

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: smel-uh-men-tree

Sentence: When Larry watched his grandchildren for the weekend they had a great time doing an art project together. As he caught a whiff of crayons and white paste he had a true smelementary moment.

Etymology: smell (to perceive something by its odor or scent) + elementary (of or pertaining to an elementary school)

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Reminiscent

Created by: Negatrev

Pronunciation: rem-uh-nis-uhnt

Sentence: The bakery made bob reminiscent over his mothers baking as a child.

Etymology: reminiscent(awakening memories of something similar; suggestive (usually followed by of ): His style of writing is reminiscent of Melville's.) AND scent (to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell: to scent trouble.)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-03-23: 00:01:01
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James

silveryaspen - 2009-03-23: 14:34:00
The score details are a great enhancement and have helped me understand them. Thank you!

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2009-03-24: 09:28:00
Wow! This phenomenon seems to be more widespread than i thought! Apparently it's one of our more primal instincts.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-03-24: 11:59:00
RE: Score Details. I am still looking for a bug where it fails to add some votes to our weekly totals. Hopefully the score details page will help us find it. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-10-05: 00:16:00
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James