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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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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Amnamesia

Created by: zabxuq

Pronunciation: am-naim-shee-ah

Sentence: He distinctly remembered her smile but he couldn't respond to her greeting as he was dumbfounded by total amnamesia.

Etymology: name: identifying handle + amnesia: partial or complete loss of memory.

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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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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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Moniklog

Created by: twocent

Pronunciation: mahn-e&-klog

Sentence: Despite their evening together only ten days prior, when he entered the room his smile sparked only moniklog.

Etymology: moniker: a proper name or nickname clog: stoppage or obstruction

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Great combination. Hahaha. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-31: 01:14:00

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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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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

metrohumanx ...And I can't even remember "who's on first"! - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:17:00

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Namenesia

Created by: 1101347158

Pronunciation: name

Sentence: I have namenesia at my cousin's party... It was kind of embarassing

Etymology: name + amnesia

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COMMENTS:

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: 19:45:00

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Bucktooth

Created by: timlumber1

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Mementia

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: mēmenshə

Sentence: When Mike was little, his brother shot him in the ear with a BB gun. The pellet lodged in his brain in the tiny spot that normally stores names. Dr. Whitecoat’s term for his condition is mementia. He calls his wife, Mimi honey, sweetie, even ”Hey, Lady”. The only name he seems to be able to remember is his son, Me2.

Etymology: me (the name I call myself) + dementia (a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury)

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COMMENTS:

Memerable word - Nosila, 2010-05-13: 10:09:00

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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