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.
Nomenblanken
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: no - men - blank - n
Sentence: Raymond was great with faces but often forgot people's names. Sometimes he suffered from nomenblanken with people he had known for years. Especially asmusing was his talent for switching first and last names between his coworkers and friends.
Etymology: This is a play on the word nomenculture (a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline; "legal terminology"; "biological nomenclature;A system or arrangement of names) and the word blank (a gap or missing part).
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COMMENTS:
Nice! Sounds a bit like Teutonic mythology, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:13:00
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Schizoneuronimcident
Created by: amigamark
Pronunciation: skitso-nuro-nom-sident
Sentence: While testing his new invention (the ACME brain reader) on his grand - parents, Geoff discovered the existence of schizoneuronomcidents. This was highlighted when his grand mother asked "Jane, Paul, Andy, Julian, Chris, Peter, Brian, Clifford, Gerry.." then "Geoff" for a cup of tea!
Etymology: Schizo-SPLIT-neuro-BRAIN-nom-NAME-cident-INCIDENT
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COMMENTS:
Great etymology! Innovative blending. Sounds like a contagious mental condition! Unique and very clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:59:00
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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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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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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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Amigonesia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: am ego nees ya
Sentence: When what's-her-name...oh, yeah, Julia was kissing what's-his-name, oh yeah, Julio, his friend, what's-his-name, oh yeah, Raoul, ask who is the lucky lady? At first, what's his name, oh yeah, Julio was stumped, but he got over his amigonesia and realized that it was indeed, what's her name, oh yeah, Julia, his wife. The affects of too much sangria and tequila, old age and what's it called, oh yeah, amigonesia, had taken their toll on what's his name, oh yeah, Julio. It was another game of what's-it-called, oh yeah, Geriatric Jeopardy in full swing.
Etymology: Amigo (Spanish for friend) & Amnesia (partial or total loss of memory)
Redhandled
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: red-hand-dull-d
Sentence: "Hi, Frangelica. How's your dad?" said Jack Daniels, the bar owner. "Fine. He told me to tell you hi, too." she replied. "Did he sell his bar yet?" queried Jack. "Nah. Plenty want it, but they don't have the money, and can't get it." she explained. The guy on the next bar stool said. "Who's her dad, Jack? " Jack answered "Johnny Walker." The guy said, "I'm his son-in-law and I'd know if Johnny had a daughter. He never has mentioned a daughter. I, sure as heck, don't have a sister-in-law I don't know! I don't believe you two!" Jack said, "It's true. Go up to his bar and ask him?" All right I will!" He huffed out. Jack and Frangelica chuckled. Johnny had been married three times, and both of his second wives, had children by their first husbands, children Frangelica hadn't even met because they were all adults when their parents married each other. So this was one of their husband's, she figured. Jack said "That's Pernod, Zima's husband, your dad's third wife's youngest daughter, by her first husband." Frangelica shrugged and said, "Living out of state I don't know any of my stepsisters or stepbrothers, let alone their spouses! But it sure is a shock to think the stranger on the bar stool next to me could be my brother-in-law, and I've never laid eyes on him before. I didn't even recognize his name when you said it! I wouldn't even know his wife, my stepsister, if she sat next to me!" They chuckled again, as Jack said "Truth is always stranger than fiction!" Before Frangelica finished her liquor, Pernod was back, walking toward them. "Sure as shooting, you two were right! Johnny is still laughing at me so loud, I can here him clear from here! He told me, 'Of course, I have a daughter.' then grinned and said, 'what's the matter with you Pernod? Don't you and your wife know your own sister-in-law and stepsister?' When I stormed out to come back here, he was still laughing so hard, tears were coming out of his eyes!" He began shaking Frangelica's hand and said "Nice to meet you, sister." He went red with embarassment at being caught not knowing his sister-in-law's name. Feeling very redhandled, he asked. "What did you say your name was?"
Etymology: Red - embarrassed, Red-handed - caught in the midst of an embarrassing situation. Handle - 1) slang term for a name and 2) to cope
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COMMENTS:
silveryaspen, the theory of relativity is alive and well, I see! Good one. - Nosila, 2008-03-04: 01:08:00
somebody's been a bartender in another life - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:08:00
Never been a bartender ... just the bar owner's daughter ... not above a drink in one once in awhile ... but they are really not a part of my life style! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:43:00
The above is actually a real incident from my life! Have you met, and do you know, all the names of your relatives related by marriage only? Think this is becoming more prevalent as mature people marry later in life ... to be honest ... even earlier in life ... where stepsiblings aren't raised in the same state ... let alone household! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:46:00
True life is always stranger and more interesting than real life! (wink)(big grin) - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:48:00
Dang ... typed one word for another again ... and didn't even realize it. Above comment should begin True FICTION is always stranger and more interesting than real life! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:27:00
Good word. The sentence made me think of some of my paternal relatives farflung through-out Australia. I have several cousins I have never met. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:59:00
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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
A#1 - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:11:00
This is clever....parumpachumdum. - mweinmann, 2008-12-30: 09:01:00
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Namenesia
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: naym-NEEZ-ya
Sentence: Filbert could remember the winners of the last 30 world series, last 15 superbowls, and every MLB MVP since 1990 but when it came to instant recall of people's names he had recurring bouts of very severe namenesia.
Etymology: Blend of name and amnesia
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COMMENTS:
Good one, what's your name! - Nosila, 2008-12-29: 00:54:00
Puddin' Tame.....acks me agin 'n I'll tell ya thuh same.... - Mustang, 2008-12-29: 03:02:00
...And I can't even remember "who's on first"! - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:17:00
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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