Vote for the best verboticism.

'Who's the lucky lady?'

DEFINITION: v. To be unable to remember the name of a person you are speaking to, even though you've had a long-standing, and perhaps even an intimate relationship. n. An inability to remember a person's name.

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Verboticisms

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Memoromission

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: mem - or - oh - miss - shun

Sentence: Plagued with a poor memory for names, Gilbert would often experience memoromission when encountering acquaintances.

Etymology: Mix of Memory and Omission

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COMMENTS:

Delightful mmmmmmm mmmmmm good alliteration! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:01:00

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Innomability

Created by: starwarsgeek8

Pronunciation: in-gnome-a-bill-it-ee

Sentence:

Etymology: Latin, 'nomen'=name, English 'ability'

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Disappellate

Created by: stache

Pronunciation: dis-āp'ə-lāt

Sentence: Julia had a strong urge to dismember Herman on the many occasions when he disappellated her in public.

Etymology: dis, a Latin prefix meaning “apart,” “asunder,” “away,” or having a privative, negative, or reversing force, + appellation [Middle English appelacion, from Old French appelation, from Latin appellātiō], a name, title or designation.

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COMMENTS:

Great sentence! Dismember blew my mind ... nice double entendre! Well chosen etymology. Your word has an appealing international flair! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:07:00

I think William Tell's son felt the same way - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:16:00

Dismember woulda shoulda coulda beena good one, too. - doseydotes, 2008-03-04: 17:17:00

Well defined! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:09:00

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Mementia

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: mēmenshə

Sentence: When Mike was little, his brother shot him in the ear with a BB gun. The pellet lodged in his brain in the tiny spot that normally stores names. Dr. Whitecoat’s term for his condition is mementia. He calls his wife, Mimi honey, sweetie, even ”Hey, Lady”. The only name he seems to be able to remember is his son, Me2.

Etymology: me (the name I call myself) + dementia (a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury)

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COMMENTS:

Memerable word - Nosila, 2010-05-13: 10:09:00

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Chumnundrum

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: chum-NUN-drum

Sentence: When Bob couldn't remember the names of his five former partners and his ten children, his friends asked whether he was suffering from palzheimers, or was this chumnundrum just a last-hitch attempt to avoid palimony

Etymology: Blend of CHUM: mate, cobber,buddy & NUNDRUM of Conundrum: riddle, enigma. Alternative etymology: Chum: close friend; nun: none, not any & Drum: the facts, info.

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COMMENTS:

Terrific word. Very orignal etymology and that isn't easy with this definition! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:16:00

love it - Jabberwocky, 2008-12-29: 15:23:00

Love it and palzheimers, too! What was the definition again?? - Nosila, 2008-12-29: 18:49:00

metrohumanx A#1 - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:11:00

This is clever....parumpachumdum. - mweinmann, 2008-12-30: 09:01:00

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Absintheminded

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: as sinth meyen did

Sentence: For over 30 years, once a month, the 6 friends had gotten together for drinks, snacks and an exchange of ideas and gossip, the way friends do. They had talked on every subject over the years, but creeping old age and the stress of daily living combined with copious tippling were starting to take their toll. Of late, their discussions took longer and many's an evening, their witty banter sounded more like: "You remember that actress,who was in some show with 5 friends (I can't remember the name of it), you know the one that used to be married to that guy who ran off with another actress and they had 4 kids ...she's another actor's daughter but they don't get along? You know, her dad was in an Academy award winning picture (I can't quite remember the title, but the music theme is going through my head).He was in it with what's his name who played in that movie about a soap star who had to become a woman to get work? Well, she, the first actress is a daughter of another actor who stars on that soap I used to watch and he was always a villain? You must remember...well, anyway, she just broke up with a guy who acted in that wedding movie with the actor who has a brother who also acts...you know the one I mean. Gosh they lead interesting lives!" Yes, the six grew more absintheminded with every toast. One of these times, they'd have to be hospitalized for anomia! Each night they got together, they performed their own version of "Geriatric Jeopardy". You know that game show hosted by that Canadian guy, Alex What's his name!

Etymology: absinthe (strong, supposedly hallucinogenetic liqueur which suppresses memory)& absent (mental pre-occupation) & minded (mental orientation)

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COMMENTS:

The tippling effects in your pronounciation, sentence and word, is so well done I can see it! Tippling, rippling great one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:46:00

Dangit! I got all the way to "Geriatric Jeopardy" before totally cracking up laughing. Did anyone else make it that far? Your story was hysterical (except that it reminds me too much of myself when trying to remember celebrity's names). I love this word!!! - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 19:13:00

Luv your sentence and, especially, "Geriatric Jeopardy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:34:00

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Redhandled

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: red-hand-dull-d

Sentence: "Hi, Frangelica. How's your dad?" said Jack Daniels, the bar owner. "Fine. He told me to tell you hi, too." she replied. "Did he sell his bar yet?" queried Jack. "Nah. Plenty want it, but they don't have the money, and can't get it." she explained. The guy on the next bar stool said. "Who's her dad, Jack? " Jack answered "Johnny Walker." The guy said, "I'm his son-in-law and I'd know if Johnny had a daughter. He never has mentioned a daughter. I, sure as heck, don't have a sister-in-law I don't know! I don't believe you two!" Jack said, "It's true. Go up to his bar and ask him?" All right I will!" He huffed out. Jack and Frangelica chuckled. Johnny had been married three times, and both of his second wives, had children by their first husbands, children Frangelica hadn't even met because they were all adults when their parents married each other. So this was one of their husband's, she figured. Jack said "That's Pernod, Zima's husband, your dad's third wife's youngest daughter, by her first husband." Frangelica shrugged and said, "Living out of state I don't know any of my stepsisters or stepbrothers, let alone their spouses! But it sure is a shock to think the stranger on the bar stool next to me could be my brother-in-law, and I've never laid eyes on him before. I didn't even recognize his name when you said it! I wouldn't even know his wife, my stepsister, if she sat next to me!" They chuckled again, as Jack said "Truth is always stranger than fiction!" Before Frangelica finished her liquor, Pernod was back, walking toward them. "Sure as shooting, you two were right! Johnny is still laughing at me so loud, I can here him clear from here! He told me, 'Of course, I have a daughter.' then grinned and said, 'what's the matter with you Pernod? Don't you and your wife know your own sister-in-law and stepsister?' When I stormed out to come back here, he was still laughing so hard, tears were coming out of his eyes!" He began shaking Frangelica's hand and said "Nice to meet you, sister." He went red with embarassment at being caught not knowing his sister-in-law's name. Feeling very redhandled, he asked. "What did you say your name was?"

Etymology: Red - embarrassed, Red-handed - caught in the midst of an embarrassing situation. Handle - 1) slang term for a name and 2) to cope

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COMMENTS:

silveryaspen, the theory of relativity is alive and well, I see! Good one. - Nosila, 2008-03-04: 01:08:00

somebody's been a bartender in another life - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:08:00

Never been a bartender ... just the bar owner's daughter ... not above a drink in one once in awhile ... but they are really not a part of my life style! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:43:00

The above is actually a real incident from my life! Have you met, and do you know, all the names of your relatives related by marriage only? Think this is becoming more prevalent as mature people marry later in life ... to be honest ... even earlier in life ... where stepsiblings aren't raised in the same state ... let alone household! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:46:00

True life is always stranger and more interesting than real life! (wink)(big grin) - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:48:00

Dang ... typed one word for another again ... and didn't even realize it. Above comment should begin True FICTION is always stranger and more interesting than real life! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:27:00

Good word. The sentence made me think of some of my paternal relatives farflung through-out Australia. I have several cousins I have never met. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:59:00

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Nomit

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: an/uh/nim

Sentence: On a regular basis, John nomits who he is with and just calls them 'Buddy' and 'Babe'.

Etymology: nom (name) + omit

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COMMENTS:

Uncomplicated but oh so powerful! Excellent creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:50:00

In the running for highest quality-to-length ratio for the whole site! - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:59:00

I agree, Erwenn! Well put! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 19:01:00

Stevenson, every time I think of nomit, I think of gnome ... how in the world did you keep from making your sentence about gnomes? I've felt compelled all day to say your word (not sentence) has such a mythical and magical ambiance! So I finally said it! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 19:04:00

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Whodonym

Created by: Tigger

Pronunciation: /hoo-do-nim/

Sentence: Jason always called his fiancee by pet names, such as "Sweetheart" or "Honey," and although her name was actually 'Mary Louise' all her friends just called her "Lou". So when he introduced her to his cousin before the wedding, he got a case of 'brain lock' and all he could think of were whodonyms. Then, at the chapel, when the priest asked, "Do you take Mary Louise to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Jason's nervous first response was to ask, "Who?". It was beginning to look like the honeymoon wasn't going to be as pleasant and relaxing as he'd hoped.

Etymology: Who - what person? (from Old English, hwā "who") + pseudonym - a fictitious or pen name (from Greek, pseudonymos "having a false name")

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COMMENTS:

I'll be using "brain lock" ... great pairing! A Whodlum hopes everyone, especially the cops, have brain lock and whodonyms? Innovative! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 19:11:00

Very creative: a real word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:01:00

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Onomamnesia

Created by: XMbIPb

Pronunciation: /o-no-ma-mne-zhi-a/

Sentence: Woke up one morning and said: “Good morning, Sue” to the woman still sleeping next to me. Given the fact that my wife’s name is not Sue, it didn’t sit well with her. Claiming ONOMAMNESIA didn’t work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get out of that one? I mean other than to find a good divorce attorney?

Etymology: ONOMA (fr. Greek) – name; AMNESIA (fr. Greek) – forgetfulness

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-03-04: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:07:00
Your great word associations and creations made my day, everyone. It is a pleasure to have these mind associations with all of you every day! Isn't this website like sunshine for the mind? !!! Everyone contributes some rays! Everyone goes away warmed by some rays!

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:08:00
Good job with the defninition and cartoon. Thank you, James.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-03-04: 23:46:00
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-05-13: 00:04:00
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James