Vote for the best verboticism.

'I'm sorry can you repeat that? '

DEFINITION: n. A technological innovation that doesn't work as expected because "normal people" can't figure out how to use it. v. To improve something in a way that makes it much harder to use.

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.

Regenerrorate

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: re-jen-er-ate

Sentence: Phil Gates's latest update looked ever so flash but also had a tendency to crash the whole system. It was a classic example of some very keen, but slightly over-enthusiastic, egg heads regenerrorating the software.

Etymology: regenerate (to reconstitute in a better form or condition) + error (a mistake, to deviate from accuracy)

| Comments and Points

Defeature

Created by: Discoveria

Pronunciation: Dee-fee-chur

Sentence: The car's inbuilt automatic window-unsteaming feature was nothing but a defeature, because the on/off button was almost under the driver's seat.

Etymology: Defeat + de- + feature. Defeature also happens to be an obsolete word for the noun "defeat" or for a deformity.

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

Badget was taken by someone else...:D - Discoveria, 2007-03-21: 08:42:00

"Defeature" is better anyway. - ErWenn, 2007-03-21: 17:45:00

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

| Comments and Points

Geniassinine

Created by: Sed8ed

Pronunciation: gee-knee-ass-ah-nine

Sentence:

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Unnovation

Created by: urbanwookie

Pronunciation: uhn-o-vay-shun

Sentence: After field trials of his latest product design, Geoff quickly realised that adding a cigarette lighter to a diver's watch was an unnovation...

Etymology: a contraction of "un" and "innovation"

| Comments and Points

Einstymie

Created by: purpleartichokes

Pronunciation: EIN-sty-mee

Sentence: Sue was all thrilled to get her new cell phone, but after reading through the 245 page manual and realizing she didn't have a clue as to how to turn on the damn thing, she realized she had purchased yet another Einstymie.

Etymology: Einstein, stymie (A situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any attempt to deal with or resolve it.)

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

very good - Jabberwocky, 2007-03-21: 11:31:00

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

| Comments and Points

Binnovation

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: binn oh vay shun

Sentence: if innovation was the key to the electronic age, then this latest binnovation must herald the garb age

Etymology: innovation, bin

| Comments and Points

Techillogical

Created by: toadstool57

Pronunciation: tec-ill-logic-al

Sentence: Jills lack of experience using modern technology lead to her techillogical operation of the DVD player she just purchased.

Etymology: technologic/illogical

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

aly22 so close to perfect, wish I'd thought of: techNILLogical - aly22, 2007-03-21: 16:11:00

erasmus I also thought it looked a bit tetchy which also fits. woo. gets my vote. - erasmus, 2007-03-30: 06:20:00

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

| Comments and Points

Digitknowitall

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: dij it no it all

Sentence: Reggie had bought a fancy new digital radio/alarm clock/coffeemaker/toaster. It was designed to be efficient in the morning by waking him up on time and getting his breakfast ready. His new appliance was a digitknowitall. Great in theory, but he could never get the radio station he liked programmed into it, so he had to listen to newscasts in a foreign language. He could also never program in the correct time...it was always an hour behind or so. The coffee tasted like something you would expect would come out of a new computer and the toast was always burned black. His only consolation was that the smoke detector awoke him if the alarm failed, the coffee was a handy extinguisher for the burnt breakfast offerings and his clock was right twice a day.

Etymology: Digital (of a circuit or device that represents magnitudes in digits) & Know-It-All (a person who thinks/behaves as if they know everything, but usually knows less than you would think on a subject).

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

LOL! I'm still laughing, ha ha! Thanks! - splendiction, 2009-10-07: 21:44:00

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

| Comments and Points

Iletdown

Created by: iwasatripwire

Pronunciation: eye-let-down

Sentence: Oh man, that cool new feature turned out to be such an iLetdown.

Etymology: "i" (as in iPod, iPhone, etc) + "let down"

| Comments and Points

Complacate

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: com plak kayt

Sentence: Initially when you had an IT problem, you just phoned Fred and he'd either tell you how to fix it or come and do it for you. When they installed a new system, they added a voice mail system to log complaints. It was intended to complacate the user. Your complaint was registered, but you had to go through an e-labourate series of "Press this, press that" options. You got nowhere but they figured all that button pushing kept you busy and entertained until they could figure out how you had screwed up their expensive system.

Etymology: Complicate (make more complex, intricate;confusing) & Placate (cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of;lull;mollify)

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-03-20: 00:11:00
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus.
Thank you erasmus! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-07: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus. Thank you erasmus. ~ James