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.
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.
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
Whomnesia
Created by: diyan627
Pronunciation: Hoom-nee'-ja
Sentence: When trying to reassure his date, Thad blamed his inability to remember her name on whomnesia, and he left out the fact that he brought a different girl out the night before to meet his friends.
Etymology: who + amnesia
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Thad with whomnesia could suffer a rash of whoneedsya! Whooooomneeeeeeeeejaaaaaaaaaa just kind of sing-songs over the tongue ... so fun to sing it out! Very nice creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:53:00
Gezwhoomdeit!! Great verboticism - Mustang, 2008-03-04: 18:18:00
whoneedsya... hahaha! oh, that's brilliant! :D Thad is the 'victim' of whoneedsya, no doubt. - diyan627, 2008-03-07: 14:38:00
----------------------------
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.
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Great etymology! Innovative blending. Sounds like a contagious mental condition! Unique and very clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 09:59:00
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
Whoblank
Created by: Biscotti
Pronunciation: hoo-blank
Sentence: He was suffering from whoblank when he called his fiance by the wrong name the other day...how embarassing!
Etymology: who + blank (draw a blank as to who it is)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Perhaps Dr. Who or the Hoos put a forgetful spell on him! After his who blank he really needs some good-luck charm! Fantastic creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:28:00
----------------------------
Stnammer
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: stnam/ur
Sentence: A stnammer is a memory impediment that gets worse with age.
Etymology: stammer + name
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Captures it all! So apt! Stammer was a great choice for it conveys stnammering is a fluctuating, often temporary condition. Intuitively great. Outstanding! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:51:00
----------------------------
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