Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Whiffersnapper
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: wiff-a-snap-a
Sentence: Mmmm! there's something about the whiffersnapper of packaging materials, that takes me right back to the Christmas parcel Grandma used to send us half way around the world.
Etymology: whiff (scent) + whippersnaper (youth)
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COMMENTS:
love it! - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:30:00
Whiffersnapper conjures up the crackle of the enlightening smell in the air! Wheffervescent! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 14:02:00
Enjoyed it...whiff love! - Nosila, 2009-03-23: 23:05:00
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Historeek
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: hisss tor eeeek
Sentence: the historeek led to hystereeks
Etymology: historic reek
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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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.)
Smelementary
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)
Scentamental
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sent a men tal
Sentence: Albert's talcum powder in the nursing home made Maude go all scentimental rembering her now grown children as little babies...
Etymology: Scent (Aroma, odor, smell) & Sentimental (effusively emotional;treasured memories or articles)
Nosetalgia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: nōstaljə
Sentence: Charlie went out for a walk. As he approached a patch of woods he caught the unmistakable scent of skunk. In a case of nosestalgia, he flashed back to his first encounter with one of these odoriferous creatures. It was quite a shock for a puppy to think that something he saw as a possible playmate would do something so rude. His current walk quickly took a new direction.
Etymology: nose (the sense of smell, esp. a dog's ability to track something by its scent) + nostalgia (a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past)
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COMMENTS:
terrific - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:24:00
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Scentimiscing
Created by: MattShields
Pronunciation: SENT-im-is-ing
Sentence: I was just smelling your shirt and scentimiscing.
Etymology: scent + reminiscing
Aroamance
Created by: readerwriter
Pronunciation: uh-roh-manse
Sentence: The smell of yellowed paper created such a strong aroamance in Paige, taking her to the lands, islands, stars and planets of her childhood, that she could hardly believe it when the propriator of Moldy Oldies, her favorite book shop, found her on the floor, and told her it was closing time.
Etymology: Using AROMA, meaning odor, scent + ROAM, meaning to wander, travel + ROMANCE, meaning, among other things, flight of fancy, allure, fascination
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COMMENTS:
old books - what a lovely memory - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:24:00
Sweet sentence, etymology and word ... for the aroamance that delights us for as long as we live and read! Delightful verbotomy! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:31:00
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Mnaromonic
Created by: kateinkorea
Pronunciation: NARE oh MON ic
Sentence: When Sally was a child she was locked in a room and nobody could find the key. She had knocked over a bottle of ammonia and the smell took over the room. She cried for hours until finally they were able to break down the door. To this day ammonia causes a mnaromonic reaction in her.
Etymology: MNEMONIC + AROMA MNEMONIC: a word, sentence, poem, etc. that helps you to remember something AROMA: a smell
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COMMENTS:
using mnemonic to show that smells, like letters, can trigger memory was very clever! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:34:00
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Comments:
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!
Wow! This phenomenon seems to be more widespread than i thought! Apparently it's one of our more primal instincts.
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
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James