Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A wayward scent or aroma which invokes distant memories of one's childhood or younger days. v. To be suddenly catapulted into the past by a very strong odor.
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.
Whiffersnapper
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: wiff-a-snap-a
Sentence: Mmmm! there's something about the whiffersnapper of packaging materials, that takes me right back to the Christmas parcel Grandma used to send us half way around the world.
Etymology: whiff (scent) + whippersnaper (youth)
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COMMENTS:
love it! - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:30:00
Whiffersnapper conjures up the crackle of the enlightening smell in the air! Wheffervescent! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 14:02:00
Enjoyed it...whiff love! - Nosila, 2009-03-23: 23:05:00
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Olefactory
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: /ohl-fak-torr-ee/
Sentence: Ron's nose smelled heated metal and stinging welled in his eyes. The punch had landed squarely on the bridge of his nose, and had trigged an olefactory reaction. He remembered the first time his stepdad had hit him. The terror as he grabbed him by the back of the shirt, the smell of red iron, a mouth full of blood, and his stepfather writhing and clawing at the side of his own head. He snapped out of the memory with a mouth full of salt and rubber, and there lay the mugger doubled much the way John was, years ago. He spat, and the ear landed askew on the ground, like a fallen leaf.
Etymology: ole - colloquial version of "old"; olfactory - relating to the sense of smell
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COMMENTS:
pretty graphic but a terrific word - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:28:00
Your sentence ranks right up there with the best of Steven King! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:41:00
Really good word and terrific sentence. - kateinkorea, 2009-03-23: 23:29:00
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Rejujubevenated
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: ree/ju/jub/ee/ven/ay/ted
Sentence: Walking through a candy store and smelling the fresh jujubes instantly rejujubevenated me. Unfortunately it also resulted in pulling out a filling which brought back other childhood memories, not so sweet, of sitting in a dentist's chair.
Etymology: rejeuvenated + jujube
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COMMENTS:
I laughed out loud good one! I used to love those :) - abrakadeborah, 2009-03-23: 06:51:00
And the movies, a double feature, to go with them were about 25 cents! - readerwriter, 2009-03-23: 09:43:00
Captures the heart and sweetness of youth and childhood ... so very very good! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-23: 13:50:00
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Scentiment
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sen tim ment
Sentence: When Barbie was tending her sick husband,Ken, the smell of changing diapers took her back to t he days when she tended her babies. It was a lovely scentiment for her, an empty nester...a reminder that she was still needed by someone. Of course the outlook in those days was different. She knew that they would soon outgrew their bad habits and become productive citizens...just the opposite of now. Oh well, in sickness and in health... Or like her friend told her, "Marriage is like a deck of cards, it starts with 2 hearts and a diamond and in the end you just want a club and a spade"!
Etymology: Scent (an odor left in passing by which a person or animal can be traced) & Sentiment(tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion, particularly of bygone days)
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COMMENTS:
nice - galwaywegian, 2010-10-05: 04:36:00
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Smelementary
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: smel-uh-men-tree
Sentence: When Larry watched his grandchildren for the weekend they had a great time doing an art project together. As he caught a whiff of crayons and white paste he had a true smelementary moment.
Etymology: smell (to perceive something by its odor or scent) + elementary (of or pertaining to an elementary school)
Nosetalgia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: nōstaljə
Sentence: Charlie went out for a walk. As he approached a patch of woods he caught the unmistakable scent of skunk. In a case of nosestalgia, he flashed back to his first encounter with one of these odoriferous creatures. It was quite a shock for a puppy to think that something he saw as a possible playmate would do something so rude. His current walk quickly took a new direction.
Etymology: nose (the sense of smell, esp. a dog's ability to track something by its scent) + nostalgia (a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past)
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COMMENTS:
terrific - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-23: 12:24:00
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Historeek
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: hisss tor eeeek
Sentence: the historeek led to hystereeks
Etymology: historic reek
Smemories
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: smem(ə)rēz
Sentence: While Bubba was touring the Everglades, somebody popped the top on a can of Red, White & Blue. Suddenly the smemmories flooded back. The combination of the fragrance of brackish water and cheap beer was almost too much for him. The mere thought of using kids as gator bait still makes him shudder. As bad as it is for him, it’s double for his buddy Lefty.
Etymology: smell (an odor or scent) + memories (something remembered from the past; a recollection)
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COMMENTS:
very funny - mrskellyscl, 2010-10-05: 06:18:00
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Reministench
Created by: splendiction
Pronunciation: re min i stench
Sentence: The acrid air wafting from the recycling bin reministenched Tony of the time the offensive odor of his brother's...Tony fled the funky room to awaken his parents. Presently Tony, clutching his stomach, reconsidered that his class recycle empty food containers. Suddenly one of Tony’s students announced: “Mr. N., Kitana left something in the recycling bin during art class. She ate some of the wall paper paste.”
Etymology: Reminisce (recall and think about a memory) and stench (bad or pungent odor): to smell a familiar odor and be reminded of the events surrounding the odor.
Odorday
Created by: RightOnTheWin
Pronunciation: \ˈō-dər-ˈdā\
Sentence: Lucy was thrown into a flashback of an odorday when she sensed the salty water. She began to recall her childhood home near the ocean. Warm tears streamed down her cheek as she realized how much she missed her hometown. Lucy decided that she would visit there on her next vacation.
Etymology: Odor (A stimulating smell) + day (A particular point in time)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2009-03-23: 14:34:00
The score details are a great enhancement and have helped me understand them. Thank you!
Wow! This phenomenon seems to be more widespread than i thought! Apparently it's one of our more primal instincts.
RE: Score Details. I am still looking for a bug where it fails to add some votes to our weekly totals. Hopefully the score details page will help us find it. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James