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'Look at that big smile!'

DEFINITION: v. To have difficulty recognizing, and correctly interpreting, human facial expressions. n. A person who cannot read faces.

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Verboticisms

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Mienblind

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: MEEN-blahynd

Sentence: Roxie was certain that she had found the fountain of youth (or, perhaps, just Dani Minogue's Beauty Guide) when she came across an advert featuring the "Prosopial Pill," a startling, C21th make-over breakthrough, whereby one could look just look like he or she wanted to: having any skin, eye, or hair colour, and facial expressions, by simply taking this pill. Bob, upon hearing all this, became deeply concerned with the prospect of Roxie frequently changing her appearance, wondering whether he would be able, in future, to read her prosopialities. Seeking help, he immediately began flicking through "The Dictionary of Verbotomy" and for a while little interested him, and was about to put the book down when one word arrested his eyes: the word Mienblind.

Etymology: MIEN: facial expression, demeanour, bearing, appearance,aspect; air; manner; carriage; bearing or manner, especially as it reveals an inner state of mind & BLIND: unwilling or unable to perceive or understand; not having the faculty of discernment; destitute of intellectual light; unable or unwilling to understand or judge. PROSOPIAL: From Gk, Prosop meaning face & PILL.

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Abilister

Created by: janefedd

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Visagegoth

Created by: porsche

Pronunciation: viz/aj/gahth

Sentence: Jack was a noted visagegoth who had the manners to match his multiple faux pas

Etymology: visigoth + visage

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Expressimiss

Created by: Maureen

Pronunciation: ex-press-e-miss

Sentence: Expressimiss was her forte, so Mandy was constantly surprised by the mixed reactions she received when she mistook sneering for smiling and vice versa.

Etymology: Expressi- from expression and miss - fail to perceive.

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Spragnolen

Created by: 711881

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Figgliciocous

Created by: brandonmarrotte

Pronunciation: (Fig-gilo-cious)

Sentence: I am figgiloucious because I can not recognize facial expressions of my many wives.

Etymology: Fig-to see, Gillo- to misunderstand

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Awkward

Created by: Rachelgettier

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Aspergistic

Created by: heb319

Pronunciation: as per ji stic

Sentence: Same was very aspergistic and didn't realize it was bad timing to ask for money when her mother's face was so tight her scrunched eyebrows nearly met her frown.

Etymology: asperger's disorder--one sympton of which is difficulty understanding body language, facial expressions, and social cues.

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Visagenius

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: vis a jeen ee us

Sentence: Jerome thought he was such a visagenious when it came to reading the faces of young ladies he fancied. He could not have been more wrong. He always misinterpreted a "yikes" look as enthusiasm. Which explains why he never has a date...

Etymology: Visage (face;countenance) & Genius (unusual mental ability;a natural talent)

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Missedemeanour

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: miss-duh-mean-er

Sentence: As Bill threw his paper aeroplane across the classroom, Mr Smith frowned. Bill mistook his stern expression for one of delight, promptly grinned and set about making an entire air force from his maths text book. He wasn't being naughty, it was just an unfortunate missedemeanour.

Etymology: Missed (failed to notice or understand) + demeanour (facial appearance) + Misdemeanour (misbehaviour)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-05-09: 02:26:00
Today's definition was inspired by Cory Doctorow's short story "I, Row-Boat", where a sentient, and very sensitive Row-Boat has some difficulty reading a woman's facial expressions. See the full story in Overclocked. Thank you Cory! ~ James

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-07-09: 02:49:00
MIENBLIND is very good- and far more cerebral than my entry. Good work, Ozziebob.

MaybeLater_x - 2008-08-19: 19:10:00
Visagenary is also a play on Imaginary, nay?

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-11-25: 00:48:00
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James

ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:44:00

ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:45:00
Prosopagnosia -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia Prosopagnosia (Greek: "prosopon" = "face", "agnosia" = "not knowing") is a disorder of fa