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.

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.

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")

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

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

| Comments and Points

Nymectomy

Created by: ErWenn

Pronunciation: /nəˈmɛktəˌmi/ /nuh-MEHK-tuh-Mee/

Sentence: Damn you! If you hadn't asked me, I wouldn't have had any problem remembering his name. How many times have I asked you to stop performing nymectomies on me?

Etymology: 2008 coined in Eng. from nym- (Gk. "onyma" meaning name) + -ectomy (Gk. "ektome" meaning "a cutting out")

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

Roaring with laughter! Unlike most ectomies, nymectomies are contagious! Wonderful creation! It's a winner in my book! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:32:00

a little angry are we today ErWenn? - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:04:00

A really good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:47:00

That'll teach me to verbotomize while I have a migraine. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 23:50:00

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

| Comments and Points

Appellesia

Created by: gelsomina17

Pronunciation: apple-ee-sha

Sentence: Monica suffered an acute case of appellesia when she ran into her high school boyfriend at a party.

Etymology: appellation + amnesia

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

Good one....very much like 'namenesia ' - Mustang, 2008-12-30: 00:29:00

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

| Comments and Points

Innomability

Created by: starwarsgeek8

Pronunciation: in-gnome-a-bill-it-ee

Sentence:

Etymology: Latin, 'nomen'=name, English 'ability'

| Comments and Points

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

| Comments and Points

Aliauhm

Created by: jajsr

Pronunciation: Ale-lee-uh-m

Sentence: Rick was popular at work, and he spoke to everyone. But when asked if he knew the name of the new accountant in the finance department, Rick came up with all kinds of aliauhms.

Etymology: Combination of "Alia" from alias - an assumed or additional name; and "Uhm"

| Comments and Points

Facialapsosis

metrohumanx

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.

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

Great sentence. Painted the picture in the mind! Great create with very original etymology, too! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:19:00

metrohumanx Thanks! FIFTY Verbotomists today! I'm gabberflasted. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:07:00

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

| Comments and Points

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)

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

A ver handy dandy word. - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 23:47:00

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

| Comments and Points

Namenesia

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: nāmnēzhə

Sentence: Tom’s greatest fear before the class reunion was that he wouldn\'t be able to remember names of his former best friends. To avoid this he got out his yearbook and studied for weeks prior to the event. He was proud of himself, popping out names like he was still in school. Namenesia didn’t set in until he tried to introduce his wife.

Etymology: name (a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to) + amnesia (a partial or total loss of memory)

| Comments and Points

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.

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

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

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

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