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.

Babylabeler

picabomama

Created by: picabomama

Pronunciation: baby/label/er

Sentence: Aaron sounded fatherly and protective, but his wife knew that all the "honey", "sweetheart" & "baby" talk was really just a cover for his profound inability to remember a woman's name. He was a compulsive babylabeler.

Etymology: Baby- the most common name replacer + label

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

I tried to come up with something along these lines, but buddyize, honeyify, and palform just don't roll off the tongue as well as babylabel. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:57:00

Wow! Sentence captures how annoying and offensive babylabelers are! Your word captures that feeling of being talked down to! Very apt creation! Simple but packs a wallop! Great create! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:15:00

Very true. Terms like mate, cobber, digger are often godsends for me! Unfortunately, Women's Lib has stamped out the use of luv, darl, etc. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:38:00

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

| Comments and Points

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

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

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

| Comments and Points

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)

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

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

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

| 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

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)

| Comments and Points

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

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

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

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

| Comments and Points

Onomamnesia

Created by: XMbIPb

Pronunciation: /o-no-ma-mne-zhi-a/

Sentence: Woke up one morning and said: “Good morning, Sue” to the woman still sleeping next to me. Given the fact that my wife’s name is not Sue, it didn’t sit well with her. Claiming ONOMAMNESIA didn’t work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get out of that one? I mean other than to find a good divorce attorney?

Etymology: ONOMA (fr. Greek) – name; AMNESIA (fr. Greek) – forgetfulness

| Comments and Points

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

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

| Comments and Points

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

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