Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v., To put an unwanted houseplant, especially a seasonal or gift plant like a Poinsettia or Easter Lily, outdoors in hopes that it will die. n., An unwanted houseplant which has been left to nature.
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.
Croakus
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: krōkəs
Sentence: Jane has a black thumb when it comes to raising plants. Plants given to her are generally doomed to her attempts at kindness. No matter what kind of plant or flower she has it soon becomes a croakus.
Etymology: croak (die/kill) + crocus (a small, spring-flowering plant of the iris family, which grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple, or white flowers)
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COMMENTS:
deadly good word - Nosila, 2010-03-11: 00:22:00
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Meanthumb
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: meen-thum
Sentence: it was clear that the sad little pot plant was making her kitchen gloomy and it was time for her to exercise her meanthumb
Etymology: mean, green thumb
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COMMENTS:
It just works. - dubld, 2007-11-14: 09:06:00
pot plants usually have the opposite effect - why didn't she just smoke it? - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-14: 10:21:00
i'm gunja pretend you didn't say that - rikboyee, 2007-11-14: 15:31:00
doobie doobie do - where's purple when you want to sing - you know youjuana - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-14: 16:25:00
Seems to mean it's all about meangreen! Nice word! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-14: 17:16:00
Purple's been swamped at work, with no signs of letting up until after Jan 15. Poor Purple. Love your word Rik. - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-14: 18:25:00
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Killant
Created by: yaelash
Pronunciation: ki-llant
Sentence: every time she got flowers or anything green, she couldn't hold on to it for more than a couple of days. soon she would take it outside, killanting it as usual.
Etymology: kill + plant
Herbamortem
Created by: elisabeth
Pronunciation: The a and b are silent. Herr-mortem
Sentence: Your foxtail fern is herbamortem. OH NO!
Etymology: Dutch
Planthateshun
Created by: lumina
Pronunciation: plant/hate/shun
Sentence: It was that time of year again. The tree was out in front of the house waiting for the garbage truck to take it to the "big forest in the sky." The trash bin was overflowing with Christmas wrappings and turkey bones. And up at the front door was the annual line of abandoned Poinsettas. Yes, they had "served their purpose" and now were nothing but planthateshuns. It's a sad life...
Etymology: plant + hate + shun
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COMMENTS:
So sad... - Nosila, 2008-10-13: 20:16:00
Maybe we should start a floraphange for them?? - Nosila, 2008-10-13: 20:17:00
I know...it's a short and sad life. Floraphanage? Great idea! I'd surely adopt! :) - lumina, 2008-10-13: 22:22:00
Hilarious, with a smattering of sad truth.....Oh, floraphanage- i just got it. :) - metrohumanx, 2008-10-14: 03:14:00
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Botanikiller
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: bəˈtani kilər
Sentence: Doris was such a sweet person that her neighbors found it shocking to find out that she was a botanikiller. They thought she was trying to give her house plants a boost of sunshine when they were set out on the deck. When the first frost hit, they were concerned. When the first snow came, it was clear that her intent was homicidal.
Etymology: botanical (of or relating to plants) + killer (a person, animal, or thing that causes death)
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COMMENTS:
Botanikiller would make a great movie title. Nice, artr! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-13: 11:20:00
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Phytocide
Created by: SpaceCadet
Pronunciation: fye'-toe-sighed
Sentence: "I can't believe you're up to your second phytocide in one year!" said Johnny to his wife as she placed the Poinsettia out on the glacial porch. "Well it's not my fault if they keep showing up unwanted," she replied non-chalantly, some would say psycho-phytopathically.
Etymology: 1. phyto-: relating to plants, from the Greek "phuton" (a plant) from "phuein" (come into being) 2. -cide: denoting an act of killing, from the Latin "-cida" from "caedere" (to kill)
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COMMENTS:
Honestly, I can't believe this isn't in the dictionary already... - SpaceCadet, 2007-11-14: 12:08:00
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Florafuera
Created by: badsnudge
Pronunciation: floor-uh fware-uh
Sentence: Florence florafueraed her flowers finally, forsaking her forsythias for future florets.
Etymology: flora (flower)+ afuera (spanish for outside)
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COMMENTS:
Very natural looking word! Like the alliteration too! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-14: 17:25:00
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Floracide
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: FLOR-eh-side
Sentence: In a seemingly heartless attempt to commit floracide on an unwanted hideous tropical houseplant she had gotten as a gift, Gracie left it outdoors on the patio during the harshest part of the winter.
Etymology: 'Flora' (Plants considered as a group) with the suffix 'cide' (from Latin meaning “killer,” “act of killing,” used in the formation of compound words)
Aspidostracize
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ass pid oss tra size
Sentence: Marvin's Mother-In-Law, Lily, finally went home after her 3 week visit. It was the longest 3 weeks of Marvin's life, as his Mother-in-law was only to eager to point out Marvin's short-comings in fixing up their new place. His wife, Fern, thought it was sweet that her mother had given them a lovely houseplant as a house-warming gift. The Aspidistra was attractive with healthy green foliage, but it constantly reminded Marvin of Lily, so he decided to aspidostracize it in the hopes it would die of neglect outside. It not only survived on the front porch, it thrived and luckily the climate was suitable for it year round. Pretty soon the entire front flower bed was populated with it's baby plants, which also flourished. But every time Marvin came near the plants, he felt they were watching him. They had pistils and they knew how to use them and they were planning to plant him outside soon, too.
Etymology: Aspidistra (evergreen perennial with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant...also known as Cast Iron Plant,Barroom Plant) & Ostracize (shun;banish;expel from a community or group)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by yellowbird. Thank you yellowbird! ~ James'
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-14: 04:19:00
How ironic, I just did this yesterday with some cilantro that developed a wicked case of spider mites. Now I get to feel the guilt allll over again.
Jabberwocky - 2007-11-14: 15:22:00
I got a phone call from cilantro - he said "Save me purple - it's not too late"
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-14: 18:32:00
I hate you Jabber. Here come the nightmares... "I'm freeeeezing!"
The cilantro is just the tip of the iceberg! I heard that Purple iced her entire crop artichokes, which she was **trying** to grow hydroponically in her basement. That is until she saw her electricity bill quadruple. Just think of all those poor baby artichokes... It's sad, until you think -- Purple probably would have ate them anyways. ~ James
mplsbohemian - 2007-11-14: 23:08:00
Tip of the iceberg *lettuce*, you mean.
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-15: 06:54:00
Now I'm all choked up... guess I'll start eating more meat.
Today's definition was suggested by yellowbird. Thank you yellowbird. ~ James
A friend suggested a very scary thought. She says that the verbotomists should get together and have a \"meet & greet\".
Sounds good. We could have a convention in Verbena, Alabama