Vote for the best verboticism.

'Who's the lucky lady?'

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.

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Verboticisms

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Dejawho

Created by: leegro

Pronunciation: /dey-zhah-hoo/

Sentence: As she walked down the aisle of the airplane, Sarah had a sinking feeling of dejawho. Hadn't she once drunkely groped the sweaty man in the aisle seat across from her?

Etymology: From "deja vu," which is French for "I'm not forgetful, I'm just self-absorbed," and "who," which should feel like a familiar word to most of you.

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COMMENTS:

What a twist ... a woman groping a man! But the twists in your etymology are even better! Insightfully Clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:14:00

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Oblivinom

freiflug

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

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Tagsnag

Created by: kateinkorea

Pronunciation: tag snag

Sentence: I went to introduce my best friend to my mother and had a tagsnag. I just completely went blank.

Etymology: tag: used for name or identity snag: unforeseen problem or stumbling block

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Fresh aspect in TAGSNAG. I love it. Short and snappy, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-31: 01:12:00

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Palzheimers

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: palsz-HI-merz

Sentence: When Bob couldn't remember the names of his five former partners and his ten children, the judge wondered whether he was suffering from palzheimers, or that his namewashing was just a last-hitch attempt to avoid palimony.

Etymology: Blend of PAL: close friend, confidante etc & ALZHEIMERS: Used in the familiar and jocular sense for memory loss.

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COMMENTS:

Ach! You beat me to the Alzheimer's! (so to speak!)Well done, love your word. - Jamagra, 2008-03-04: 08:54:00

Good word. Kind of a sad idea, though. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:56:00

The opposite of palzheimers might be wisenheimers! Palzheimers might be a form of palsy of the brain! Your word is so evocative of so much! Stunningly great! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:20:00

a classic!! - galwaywegian, 2008-03-04: 12:11:00

excellent Ozzie - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:03:00

Sweet! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-04: 18:16:00

Unforgettable word, Bob! - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 18:34:00

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Chumnundrum

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: chum-NUN-drum

Sentence: When Bob couldn't remember the names of his five former partners and his ten children, his friends asked whether he was suffering from palzheimers, or was this chumnundrum just a last-hitch attempt to avoid palimony

Etymology: Blend of CHUM: mate, cobber,buddy & NUNDRUM of Conundrum: riddle, enigma. Alternative etymology: Chum: close friend; nun: none, not any & Drum: the facts, info.

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COMMENTS:

Terrific word. Very orignal etymology and that isn't easy with this definition! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:16:00

love it - Jabberwocky, 2008-12-29: 15:23:00

Love it and palzheimers, too! What was the definition again?? - Nosila, 2008-12-29: 18:49:00

metrohumanx A#1 - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:11:00

This is clever....parumpachumdum. - mweinmann, 2008-12-30: 09:01:00

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Namenesic

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: nam/eh/nee/sic

Sentence: Boy was namenesic since birth, probably because his parents had a hard time remembering his name. He finally decided to call every woman doll and every man, man.

Etymology: name + amnesic

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COMMENTS:

I was sure someone would beat me to this one. Grr, I'll get you next time, Jabberwocky! - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:58:00

Easy does it ... most of the time! Simplicity is always appealing! Nice one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:10:00

Schmidt's " A Medical Word Finder" gives 'Lethonomia' as inability to recognize names and ' Anomia' as loss of ability to recognize names; I like your word better. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:44:00

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Disappellate

Created by: stache

Pronunciation: dis-āp'ə-lāt

Sentence: Julia had a strong urge to dismember Herman on the many occasions when he disappellated her in public.

Etymology: dis, a Latin prefix meaning “apart,” “asunder,” “away,” or having a privative, negative, or reversing force, + appellation [Middle English appelacion, from Old French appelation, from Latin appellātiō], a name, title or designation.

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COMMENTS:

Great sentence! Dismember blew my mind ... nice double entendre! Well chosen etymology. Your word has an appealing international flair! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:07:00

I think William Tell's son felt the same way - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:16:00

Dismember woulda shoulda coulda beena good one, too. - doseydotes, 2008-03-04: 17:17:00

Well defined! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:09:00

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Absintheminded

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: as sinth meyen did

Sentence: For over 30 years, once a month, the 6 friends had gotten together for drinks, snacks and an exchange of ideas and gossip, the way friends do. They had talked on every subject over the years, but creeping old age and the stress of daily living combined with copious tippling were starting to take their toll. Of late, their discussions took longer and many's an evening, their witty banter sounded more like: "You remember that actress,who was in some show with 5 friends (I can't remember the name of it), you know the one that used to be married to that guy who ran off with another actress and they had 4 kids ...she's another actor's daughter but they don't get along? You know, her dad was in an Academy award winning picture (I can't quite remember the title, but the music theme is going through my head).He was in it with what's his name who played in that movie about a soap star who had to become a woman to get work? Well, she, the first actress is a daughter of another actor who stars on that soap I used to watch and he was always a villain? You must remember...well, anyway, she just broke up with a guy who acted in that wedding movie with the actor who has a brother who also acts...you know the one I mean. Gosh they lead interesting lives!" Yes, the six grew more absintheminded with every toast. One of these times, they'd have to be hospitalized for anomia! Each night they got together, they performed their own version of "Geriatric Jeopardy". You know that game show hosted by that Canadian guy, Alex What's his name!

Etymology: absinthe (strong, supposedly hallucinogenetic liqueur which suppresses memory)& absent (mental pre-occupation) & minded (mental orientation)

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COMMENTS:

The tippling effects in your pronounciation, sentence and word, is so well done I can see it! Tippling, rippling great one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:46:00

Dangit! I got all the way to "Geriatric Jeopardy" before totally cracking up laughing. Did anyone else make it that far? Your story was hysterical (except that it reminds me too much of myself when trying to remember celebrity's names). I love this word!!! - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 19:13:00

Luv your sentence and, especially, "Geriatric Jeopardy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:34:00

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Pseudesia

kashman

Created by: kashman

Pronunciation: soo-day-sia

Sentence: Jack seldom feigned pseudesia while at his dates to avoid being sucked into small talk.

Etymology: pseudonym (feigned or erroneous name) + amnesia (loss of memory)

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Dejawho

Created by: brasstax82

Pronunciation: day-ja-who

Sentence: With a complete feeling of dread, Shawn was sure he new the person hugging him, but was coming down with a case of Dejawho.

Etymology: deja-vu: Felling of experiencing a situation previously before. Who- Common phrase used when seeing to properly identify an individual

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-03-04: 00:01:00
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.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-03-04: 23:46:00
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-05-13: 00:04:00
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James