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.

Create | Read

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.

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

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)

----------------------------
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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Schizoneuronimcident

Created by: amigamark

Pronunciation: skitso-nuro-nom-sident

Sentence: While testing his new invention (the ACME brain reader) on his grand - parents, Geoff discovered the existence of schizoneuronomcidents. This was highlighted when his grand mother asked "Jane, Paul, Andy, Julian, Chris, Peter, Brian, Clifford, Gerry.." then "Geoff" for a cup of tea!

Etymology: Schizo-SPLIT-neuro-BRAIN-nom-NAME-cident-INCIDENT

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Great etymology! Innovative blending. Sounds like a contagious mental condition! Unique and very clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:59:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Amornesia

artr

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:

metrohumanx Absolutely caffeine-dish! - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:14:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Whomnesia

Created by: diyan627

Pronunciation: Hoom-nee'-ja

Sentence: When trying to reassure his date, Thad blamed his inability to remember her name on whomnesia, and he left out the fact that he brought a different girl out the night before to meet his friends.

Etymology: who + amnesia

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Thad with whomnesia could suffer a rash of whoneedsya! Whooooomneeeeeeeeejaaaaaaaaaa just kind of sing-songs over the tongue ... so fun to sing it out! Very nice creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:53:00

Gezwhoomdeit!! Great verboticism - Mustang, 2008-03-04: 18:18:00

whoneedsya... hahaha! oh, that's brilliant! :D Thad is the 'victim' of whoneedsya, no doubt. - diyan627, 2008-03-07: 14:38:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

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)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Innomability

Created by: starwarsgeek8

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

Sentence:

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

| Comments and Points

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

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

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