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.
Dejawho
Created by: leegro
Pronunciation: /dey-zhah-hoo/
Sentence: As she walked down the aisle of the airplane, Sarah had a sinking feeling of dejawho. Hadn't she once drunkely groped the sweaty man in the aisle seat across from her?
Etymology: From "deja vu," which is French for "I'm not forgetful, I'm just self-absorbed," and "who," which should feel like a familiar word to most of you.
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COMMENTS:
What a twist ... a woman groping a man! But the twists in your etymology are even better! Insightfully Clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:14:00
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Pseudesia
Created by: kashman
Pronunciation: soo-day-sia
Sentence: Jack seldom feigned pseudesia while at his dates to avoid being sucked into small talk.
Etymology: pseudonym (feigned or erroneous name) + amnesia (loss of memory)
Amigonesia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: am ego nees ya
Sentence: When what's-her-name...oh, yeah, Julia was kissing what's-his-name, oh yeah, Julio, his friend, what's-his-name, oh yeah, Raoul, ask who is the lucky lady? At first, what's his name, oh yeah, Julio was stumped, but he got over his amigonesia and realized that it was indeed, what's her name, oh yeah, Julia, his wife. The affects of too much sangria and tequila, old age and what's it called, oh yeah, amigonesia, had taken their toll on what's his name, oh yeah, Julio. It was another game of what's-it-called, oh yeah, Geriatric Jeopardy in full swing.
Etymology: Amigo (Spanish for friend) & Amnesia (partial or total loss of memory)
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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Nomenblanken
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: no - men - blank - n
Sentence: Raymond was great with faces but often forgot people's names. Sometimes he suffered from nomenblanken with people he had known for years. Especially asmusing was his talent for switching first and last names between his coworkers and friends.
Etymology: This is a play on the word nomenculture (a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline; "legal terminology"; "biological nomenclature;A system or arrangement of names) and the word blank (a gap or missing part).
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COMMENTS:
Nice! Sounds a bit like Teutonic mythology, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:13:00
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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
Pamnesia
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: pam nee zya
Sentence: Tommy Lee later admitted in court that he had a bout of total Pamnesia before remarrying his former wife. "this blonde started to act like we had a history, and whadya know, she wuz right.!"
Etymology: amnesia. pam.
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COMMENTS:
You're with it today! Great sentence! Great last line ... made me burst out laughing! Very fun one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:12:00
Hilarious sentence! I wonder if Pam gets Pamnesia herself sometimes, and forgets who she is... - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 18:58:00
Luv your creativity. I know of Polynesia, Melanesia, Indonesia and Micronesia. Perhaps, Pammie's classic movie, "Blonde and Blondier was filmed in Pamnesia: certainly wasn't fimed in Micronesia! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:51:00
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Namenesic
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: nam/eh/nee/sic
Sentence: Boy was namenesic since birth, probably because his parents had a hard time remembering his name. He finally decided to call every woman doll and every man, man.
Etymology: name + amnesic
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COMMENTS:
I was sure someone would beat me to this one. Grr, I'll get you next time, Jabberwocky! - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:58:00
Easy does it ... most of the time! Simplicity is always appealing! Nice one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:10:00
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: 19:44:00
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Facialapsosis
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: FAYshull-APSE-OH!-sis
Sentence: Wilfred's palms began to sweat when the mystery woman called his name and coiled her arms around his neck like albino boa constrictors. Managing his best fake smile, names began to flood into his empty skull like a leak in a brass diving helmet. Wilfred was a victim of FACIALAPSOSIS - the often fatal inability to recall the name of someone from the not-so-remote past.
Etymology: FACIAl+LAPSe+OSIS=FACIALAPSOSIS........FACIAL:of or relating to the face, esp one you should know well.....LAPSE:a slight error typically due to forgetfulness or inattention;Latin lapsus, from labi to slip.....-OSIS:indicating a condition or untreated affliction.
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COMMENTS:
Great sentence. Painted the picture in the mind! Great create with very original etymology, too! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:19:00
Thanks! FIFTY Verbotomists today! I'm gabberflasted. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:07:00
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Innomability
Created by: starwarsgeek8
Pronunciation: in-gnome-a-bill-it-ee
Sentence:
Etymology: Latin, 'nomen'=name, English 'ability'
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