Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To seek approval from your boss by emulating their style, mannerisms or affectations. n. A person who copies their boss's style in order to win favor.
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.
Shtickophant
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: SHTIHK-uh-fuhnt
Sentence: When Alex suddenly worked under a new boss, his days as a shtickophant were numbered, as there was no way he was going around in stilettos and pearls.
Etymology: shtick (idiosyncrasy, gimmick) + sycophant
Ingratiape
Created by: administraitor
Pronunciation: in-gray-si-aip
Sentence: Ms. York was able to photocopy her fundament on "letter" at the office party, while Susan had to switch to "legal", undermining her ongoing efforts to ingratiape herself with her supervisor.
Etymology: ingratiate + ape (copy)
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COMMENTS:
this is good!! - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 11:49:00
Nice one. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 15:23:00
I like it. - texmom, 2007-06-14: 18:14:00
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Sycopyphant
Created by: TimTheEnchanter
Pronunciation: si-CAH-pee-fuhnt
Sentence: Everyone knew Cathy was a complete suck-up, always doing whatever the CIO, Mr. Srinivasan, wanted. But jaws hit the floor when she came into the meeting room today. She had risen to the level of complete sycopyphant, cutting her hair short, dying it black, and wearing a Nehru jacket identical to what her boss always wore. The two were almost indistinguishable.
Etymology: SYCOPHANT: a servile self-seeking flatterer + COPY an imitation or reproduction of an original
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COMMENTS:
Good word...like a psychopyphant maybe??? - Nosila, 2008-08-07: 23:26:00
Great paragrab Tim the E... - metrohumanx, 2008-08-08: 07:15:00
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Brownposer
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: brown/poh-zur
Sentence: Jill was such a brownposer; she even bought the same hideous neon green purse that her supervisor had.
Etymology: brown-noser/pose
Cloneonialism
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: clo/no/nee/al/ism
Sentence: Her cloneonialism was quite startling. She was determined to stake her own territory even if it involved personal sacrifice.
Etymology: clone + colonialism
Pretwinder
Created by: thegoatisbad
Pronunciation: pre-twin-der
Sentence: Kimberly would have been annoyed at Zinnia's blatant pretwinding around their boss, Jared, if Kimberly wasn't sleeping with him.
Etymology: pretend + twin
Doppelmanager
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: dah-puhl-man-a-jer
Sentence: All butt-kissing and other adminitraits aside, when Bob showed up sporting the same Rocky and Bullwinkle tie that the boss wore, it was readily apparent that he had become a doppelmanager destined for the Borg room. Simpresarios always wound up as directums.
Etymology: doppelganger, manager
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COMMENTS:
Didn't we all go through Bulletchewer's 'dopple anger' a few months ago? Where is that 'Chewer'? I miss his sarcastic comments. - Stevenson0, 2007-06-14: 07:53:00
Did he do a doppel word? Yep, he was quite the charhackter. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 08:05:00
I just thought of a better word - mimeostaff. It's up for grabs for anyone wants it! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 10:39:00
personally I like your xeroxymorons - that's a terrific word - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 10:49:00
I liked it too, but it doesn't have any boss connotations. Perhaps it could be used for people who imitate pop culture icons. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 11:21:00
Another one - imbosster. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 11:27:00
that's very good - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 11:37:00
Personally, I was going for a combination of mimicry and the lowliest worker I could think of, rather than use the boss. But a word like "employsonate" could go either way. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 11:42:00
Good word there, also... three points! - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 11:43:00
Oooo, I like employsonate! Quite versatile. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 11:57:00
Ted Doppel would be proud. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 12:05:00
xeroxymoron can be equated to any government official that I've come across - employsonate reminds me of some of the people I've 'worked with'or should I say 'hand held' through the day doing their job - Stevenson0, 2007-06-14: 14:41:00
Imbossination/imbossinator was another one I toyed with, on the impersonation idea. - petaj, 2007-06-14: 23:52:00
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Halopecia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: hay lo peesheea
Sentence: Wanting badly to mirror her boss' success, Haley started developing a severe case of halopecia. It was hairable to watch.
Etymology: Halo (an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint; halo effect-The halo effect is a cognitive bias whereby the perception of one trait (i.e. a characteristic of a person or object) is influenced by the perception of another trait (or several traits) of that person or object. An example would be judging a good-looking person as more intelligent) & Alopecia (loss of hair (especially on the head) or loss of wool or feathers)
Appulations
Created by: grasshopper
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
for what it is worth this is not the word I wanted to use. I tried to go back a page and it saved this word. My actual word was appulatism,for what it's worth. - grasshopper, 2007-06-14: 10:39:00
You can change it! Click on your word, click on Edit, then, down the bottom you'll see Oops, I want to change the spelling (or something of that nature). (its in light lettering) - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 10:46:00
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Comments:
Office politics. You know it's a game. You understand the players. You've got a strategy. Now it's time to take action with Timothy Johnson's GUST -- even if that means shaving your head. Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram and Timothy! ~ James
purpleartichokes - 2007-06-14: 18:10:00
Love the artwork today James! Very funny!
Thanks purple! And cheers to remistram for thinking of such a funny idea. ~ James
By the way, Robert J. Sawyer, winner of Hugo and Nebula best novel awards, will be our featured author at Verbotomy next week. More details to follow... Check out Rob's website at www.sfwriter.com. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James