Vote for the best verboticism.

'Jennifer? You've changed your hairstyle! I like it!'

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.

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Verboticisms

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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

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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

TimTheEnchanter

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

metrohumanx 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

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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

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Pretwinder

thegoatisbad

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

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Suckup

Created by: blondibabi121692

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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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

petaj 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)

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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:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-14: 01:10:00
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!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-14: 18:17:00
Thanks purple! And cheers to remistram for thinking of such a funny idea. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-14: 18:27:00
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

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-01-08: 00:44:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James