Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To be unable to remember the name of a person you are speaking to, even though you've had a long-standing, and perhaps even an intimate relationship. n. An inability to remember a person's name.
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.
Whodonym
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /hoo-do-nim/
Sentence: Jason always called his fiancee by pet names, such as "Sweetheart" or "Honey," and although her name was actually 'Mary Louise' all her friends just called her "Lou". So when he introduced her to his cousin before the wedding, he got a case of 'brain lock' and all he could think of were whodonyms. Then, at the chapel, when the priest asked, "Do you take Mary Louise to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Jason's nervous first response was to ask, "Who?". It was beginning to look like the honeymoon wasn't going to be as pleasant and relaxing as he'd hoped.
Etymology: Who - what person? (from Old English, hwā "who") + pseudonym - a fictitious or pen name (from Greek, pseudonymos "having a false name")
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COMMENTS:
I'll be using "brain lock" ... great pairing! A Whodlum hopes everyone, especially the cops, have brain lock and whodonyms? Innovative! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 19:11:00
Very creative: a real word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:01:00
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Pamnesia
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: pam nee zya
Sentence: Tommy Lee later admitted in court that he had a bout of total Pamnesia before remarrying his former wife. "this blonde started to act like we had a history, and whadya know, she wuz right.!"
Etymology: amnesia. pam.
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COMMENTS:
You're with it today! Great sentence! Great last line ... made me burst out laughing! Very fun one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:12:00
Hilarious sentence! I wonder if Pam gets Pamnesia herself sometimes, and forgets who she is... - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 18:58:00
Luv your creativity. I know of Polynesia, Melanesia, Indonesia and Micronesia. Perhaps, Pammie's classic movie, "Blonde and Blondier was filmed in Pamnesia: certainly wasn't fimed in Micronesia! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:51:00
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Babylabeler
Created by: picabomama
Pronunciation: baby/label/er
Sentence: Aaron sounded fatherly and protective, but his wife knew that all the "honey", "sweetheart" & "baby" talk was really just a cover for his profound inability to remember a woman's name. He was a compulsive babylabeler.
Etymology: Baby- the most common name replacer + label
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COMMENTS:
I tried to come up with something along these lines, but buddyize, honeyify, and palform just don't roll off the tongue as well as babylabel. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:57:00
Wow! Sentence captures how annoying and offensive babylabelers are! Your word captures that feeling of being talked down to! Very apt creation! Simple but packs a wallop! Great create! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:15:00
Very true. Terms like mate, cobber, digger are often godsends for me! Unfortunately, Women's Lib has stamped out the use of luv, darl, etc. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:38:00
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Facialapsosis
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: FAYshull-APSE-OH!-sis
Sentence: Wilfred's palms began to sweat when the mystery woman called his name and coiled her arms around his neck like albino boa constrictors. Managing his best fake smile, names began to flood into his empty skull like a leak in a brass diving helmet. Wilfred was a victim of FACIALAPSOSIS - the often fatal inability to recall the name of someone from the not-so-remote past.
Etymology: FACIAl+LAPSe+OSIS=FACIALAPSOSIS........FACIAL:of or relating to the face, esp one you should know well.....LAPSE:a slight error typically due to forgetfulness or inattention;Latin lapsus, from labi to slip.....-OSIS:indicating a condition or untreated affliction.
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COMMENTS:
Great sentence. Painted the picture in the mind! Great create with very original etymology, too! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:19:00
Thanks! FIFTY Verbotomists today! I'm gabberflasted. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:07:00
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Innomability
Created by: starwarsgeek8
Pronunciation: in-gnome-a-bill-it-ee
Sentence:
Etymology: Latin, 'nomen'=name, English 'ability'
Oblivinom
Created by: freiflug
Pronunciation: /ə'blɪvɪnom/
Sentence: "Oblivinom is known to men for decades: the inability to remember names of familiar individuals." "Oblivinom should not be confused with oblivinomnom, which expresses itself in not being able to remember what one has eaten for dinner, even though that was just half an hour ago."
Etymology: oblivion: the state of forgetfulness; nomus: Latin for name
Misshandle
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: mis/han/dell
Sentence: It is terribly embarrassing to me and greatly insulting to someone when I misshandle who they are.
Etymology: MISSHANDLE - verb - from MISS (the loss, or absence of something) + HANDLE (Slang: a person's name, someone's given name)
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COMMENTS:
A ver handy dandy word. - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 23:47:00
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Routinenile
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: roo-teen-niyl
Sentence: Maybe it was the hangover from the two bottles of cognac in the hot tub the night before. Perhaps it was the countless lines of cocaine in the men's room with various twenty-something boys that morning. It could be loss of blood from a very large, very angry, and very white tiger that was mauling him at the moment. Whatever the cause of the sudden onset of routinenility, Roy could not remember his partner's exotic foreign name to call out for help.
Etymology: routine - familiar + senile - exhibiting a loss of cognitive faculties
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COMMENTS:
Your sentence reporting this incident was better than any I read in the media! Innovative etymology. Exceptionally creative word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:54:00
Enjoyed the sentence; interesting word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:00:00
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Amnamenesia
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: am-naim-NEES-ya
Sentence: Jamie had instant recall on the winners of the last 30 world series, all the Superbowls, and every MLB MVP over the last 3 decades but when it came to recalling people's names he had recurring bouts of amnamenesia
Etymology: Blend of 'name' and 'amnesia'.
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:07:00
Your great word associations and creations made my day, everyone. It is a pleasure to have these mind associations with all of you every day! Isn't this website like sunshine for the mind? !!! Everyone contributes some rays! Everyone goes away warmed by some rays!
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:08:00
Good job with the defninition and cartoon. Thank you, James.
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James