Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A harmless untruth, intended to comfort simple souls. v. To use a little bit a fiction to smooth over the perplexities and complexities of life.
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.
Fibrication
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: fibrəkāshən
Sentence: Where did I come from? What happened to fluffy? Does this dress look good on me? What do you think of my artwork? Do you love me? Questions like these can spark fibrication.
Etymology: fib (a lie, typically an unimportant one) + fabrication (invent or concoct (something), typically with deceitful intent)
Sugarsatz
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: SHOOG-ur-sats
Sentence: Alex realised that the president's speech about victory in the war and a glowing economy was just a pile of sugarsatz.
Etymology: sugar + ersatz (fake). The initial "sh" sound also calls to mind a certain four-letter word which often fits this definition, as well. Moreover, "sugarsatz" sounds vaguely Yiddish, from which American English derives many words that couldalsofitthebill.
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COMMENTS:
Heady ... I like that. - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:54:00
Agree. I forgot what erstaz meant! - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-16: 14:30:00
From above: ersatz (fake) - mplsbohemian, 2007-04-16: 15:24:00
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Placifier
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: plah-sih-fie-er
Sentence: Tom told a placifier when he told his aging mother that he was dating again.
Etymology: placid + pacifier
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COMMENTS:
Congratulations on your overall weekly win last week! Some great words!! - Stevenson0, 2007-04-16: 12:53:00
missed this one the first time round - glad I still had a vote left - great word - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-18: 09:08:00
Thanks guys. I'm having hard time with the words this week but you guys are kicking butt! - jedijawa, 2007-04-20: 17:09:00
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Foma
Created by: vonnegut
Pronunciation: fo-ma
Sentence: Nothing in this book is true. "Live by the foma* that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy." The Books of Bokonon. I: 5
Etymology: Created by Kurt Vonnegut for Cat's Cradle, published in 1963.
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COMMENTS:
foma - accept no substitutes. - Alchemist, 2007-04-16: 06:51:00
we can't go through the whole week respelling Vonneguts words....or can we? - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 09:24:00
It's the best way to win the prize.... :-) - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:54:00
What's the singular? And should I have heard of Vonnegut? Has he been on TV? Recently? Bliss. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 15:11:00
The singular form is "fomum", like phenomena (plural) and phenomenum (signular). Comes from Latin. Did you study Latin in highschool? I did, and I'm still trying to get over it. - wordmeister, 2007-04-16: 15:22:00
It's all Greek to me! - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 16:14:00
you can even go into the news/blog section and it will tell you which word this definition comes from.... i honestly feel that using Vonneguts word taints the wampeter of our humble karass - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 17:44:00
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Troolish
Created by: wurdless
Pronunciation: troo-lish
Sentence: You look great! he said troolishly
Etymology: true + foolish
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COMMENTS:
yup. everyone I know will be using this now. I love this word. - Headcrab, 2012-06-09: 04:38:00
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Pacifib
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: pass-i-fib
Sentence: Mommy quickly crafted a pacifib when Nora noticed that Goldie was not in her bowl one day after school. She put the little princess on her lap, gave her a hug, and told her a wonderful tale about how Goldie was invited to go with her fish friends to the Wild Water Kingdom instead of admitting that it went belly up and was flushed down the toilet. Nora, an especially precocious five year old wasn't buying it. She became inconsolable and made Mommy take her to the pet store immediately for a new fish.
Etymology: pacify: to calm, mollify or make peaceful + fib: insignificant or childish lie
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COMMENTS:
Cute word! - artr, 2009-11-02: 11:27:00
great word! - mweinmann, 2009-11-03: 07:51:00
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Mercifiction
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˌmɚsəˈfɪkʃən/
Sentence: Most of the new security policy instituted by the TSA are at best mercifiction and at worst malignacity.
Etymology: From mercy + fiction (reminiscent of merciful)
Flubbish
Created by: mac33
Pronunciation: flub-bish
Sentence: "Fluffy's in Cat Heaven now," she said to little Susie, feeling guilty for feeding her child such blatant flubbish.
Etymology: flub - an instance of botching or bungling; failure (here failure to tell the painful truth) rubbish - nonsense (UK)
Comments:
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:00:00
Best verbotoon ever. So it goes, buddy, so it goes.
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:20:00
Just noticed what was written on the typewriter. Ha!
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
RE: "Best Verbotoon Ever" Thanks ErWenn! However I must say it was all inspired by KV himself. So it goes... ~ James
See the top 4 words of the day at Yeah, I'm in heaven now ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
wurdless - 2008-07-12: 15:23:00
Vonnegut is cool!
reverb - 2008-07-12: 15:31:00
cat's cradle rocks
Today's definition was suggested by vonnegut. Thank you vonnegut. ~ James
Live it or live WITH it!