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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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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Memoromission

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: mem - or - oh - miss - shun

Sentence: Plagued with a poor memory for names, Gilbert would often experience memoromission when encountering acquaintances.

Etymology: Mix of Memory and Omission

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COMMENTS:

Delightful mmmmmmm mmmmmm good alliteration! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:01:00

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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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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")

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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

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Nilrecall

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: nil re kawl

Sentence: Joey had nilrecall when it came to people's names. When he eventually married and had twins, the baby boys were known as Thing 1 & Thing 2 to him...

Etymology: Nil (nada, nothing) & Recall (remember)

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Quasinogo

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: kwozzy-no-go

Sentence: Freddie Forgetty, was a real Quasinogo. His hunchback and dodgy eye were certainly detractions, but his worst failing was that he could never remember his girlfriends' names. He was often heard to say, "but the face rings a bell".

Etymology: Quasimodo - bell ringer at Notre Dame + no go (fail)

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COMMENTS:

Great sentence! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-31: 23:40:00

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Nomduhplume

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: nom/duh/ploom

Sentence: It is difficult enough to remember names of old friends but getting together with a writer's group became a nightmare trying to remember their nomduhplumes.

Etymology: nom de plume (pen name) + uh? + duh

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COMMENTS:

Delightful! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-29: 10:15:00

Eggzellunt!! Wish I'd thought of it! - Mustang, 2008-12-30: 00:28:00

Clever - OZZIEBOB, 2009-01-04: 16:13:00

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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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Innomability

Created by: starwarsgeek8

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

Sentence:

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

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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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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