Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
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.
Amornesia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ämoŏrnēzhə
Sentence: Wendy was no good in the morning. Until she had had at least 2 cups of coffee, she was lucky if she could remember her own name. To work her way around her amornesia she took on the habit of calling anybody who ended up in her bedroom sweetheart. Unless she woke up in Starbucks, this is the way it was destined to stay.
Etymology: amore (love - Italian) + amnesia (a partial or total loss of memory)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Absolutely caffeine-dish! - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:14:00
----------------------------
Nymectomy
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /nəˈmɛktəˌmi/ /nuh-MEHK-tuh-Mee/
Sentence: Damn you! If you hadn't asked me, I wouldn't have had any problem remembering his name. How many times have I asked you to stop performing nymectomies on me?
Etymology: 2008 coined in Eng. from nym- (Gk. "onyma" meaning name) + -ectomy (Gk. "ektome" meaning "a cutting out")
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Roaring with laughter! Unlike most ectomies, nymectomies are contagious! Wonderful creation! It's a winner in my book! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:32:00
a little angry are we today ErWenn? - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:04:00
A really good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:47:00
That'll teach me to verbotomize while I have a migraine. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 23:50:00
----------------------------
Routinenile
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: roo-teen-niyl
Sentence: Maybe it was the hangover from the two bottles of cognac in the hot tub the night before. Perhaps it was the countless lines of cocaine in the men's room with various twenty-something boys that morning. It could be loss of blood from a very large, very angry, and very white tiger that was mauling him at the moment. Whatever the cause of the sudden onset of routinenility, Roy could not remember his partner's exotic foreign name to call out for help.
Etymology: routine - familiar + senile - exhibiting a loss of cognitive faculties
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Your sentence reporting this incident was better than any I read in the media! Innovative etymology. Exceptionally creative word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:54:00
Enjoyed the sentence; interesting word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:00:00
----------------------------
Moniklog
Created by: twocent
Pronunciation: mahn-e&-klog
Sentence: Despite their evening together only ten days prior, when he entered the room his smile sparked only moniklog.
Etymology: moniker: a proper name or nickname clog: stoppage or obstruction
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Great combination. Hahaha. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-31: 01:14:00
----------------------------
Mementia
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)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Memerable word - Nosila, 2010-05-13: 10:09:00
----------------------------
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")
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
Namenesia
Created by: 1101347158
Pronunciation: name
Sentence: I have namenesia at my cousin's party... It was kind of embarassing
Etymology: name + amnesia
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Schmidt's " A Medical Word Finder" gives 'Lethonomia' as inability to recognize names and ' Anomia' as loss of ability to recognize names; I like your word better. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:45:00
----------------------------
Nomduhplume
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: nom/duh/ploom
Sentence: It is difficult enough to remember names of old friends but getting together with a writer's group became a nightmare trying to remember their nomduhplumes.
Etymology: nom de plume (pen name) + uh? + duh
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Delightful! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:15:00
Eggzellunt!! Wish I'd thought of it! - Mustang, 2008-12-30: 00:28:00
Clever - OZZIEBOB, 2009-01-04: 16:13:00
----------------------------
Tagsnag
Created by: kateinkorea
Pronunciation: tag snag
Sentence: I went to introduce my best friend to my mother and had a tagsnag. I just completely went blank.
Etymology: tag: used for name or identity snag: unforeseen problem or stumbling block
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Fresh aspect in TAGSNAG. I love it. Short and snappy, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-31: 01:12:00
----------------------------
Comments:
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.
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James