Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., A compulsive need to sniff everything and anything you pick up, even things that typically do not have distinctive odors. v., To habitually sniff everything within your grasp -- just to make sure it's fresh.
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.
Gaspirate
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: gas pir ayt
Sentence: They called Barney the bloodhound, because he would gaspirate every object that came into his hand. It was embarrassing enough for friends when he did it in restaurants and stores. But when he started doing it to new people he'd meet, they just had to keep a sniff upper lip and hope he would not describe what he smelled.
Etymology: Gasp (a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open) & Aspirate (inhale;suck in air, along with whatever smells accompany said lungful)
Inhailstorm
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: in hayle storm
Sentence: Being with Eddie was like always being in an inhailstorm. This was because he had to compulsively sniff at each and everything, just to ensure it had not gone off. One could easily testify that the only thing that had ever "gone off" was Eddie himself. Once a gifted wine "nose" and then a gifted perfume "nose", Eddie had smelltered himself to the situation where people only called upon him if their carbon monoxide detectors failed or they suspected a gas leak. Yes, Eddie had stuck his nose in one too many places and now was facing a de-scent into madness!
Etymology: hail (precipitate as small ice particles;enthusiastic greeting ) & inhale (to breathe in) & hailstorm (a storm during which hail falls)
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COMMENTS:
PEALS of uproarious laughter, Lady! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:03:00
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Odoretentiveness
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: OH-de-REE-ten-TIV-ness
Sentence: Bob's odoretentiveness was becoming serious. If he couldn't identify each odor specifically, he would become sniffixated, full of smellancholy and fragrangsted. However, Roxie wasn't worried: Bob, after all, was of Greek background, and besides a fellow called Odorpus Reakes, was one of his ancesstors!
Etymology: Conflation of ODOR & RETENTIVENESS to describe a person with such attention to detail of odors, smells and the like that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, and can be carried out to the detriment of the odor-retentive person.
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COMMENTS:
Thanks for all the "bonus" words in there, creative one! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:17:00
Hey, Bob...aren't you from the same land as Smell Gibson?? Good Word! - Nosila, 2008-10-27: 21:00:00
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Reconnosesense
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: ree kon ohs ens
Sentence: His reconnosesense was unstinting even when the object was unstinking
Etymology: reconnaissance nose sense
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COMMENTS:
funny - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-27: 13:26:00
Very nice. Concise sentence, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:14:00
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Snootfool
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: snoōtfoōl
Sentence: Harold is sure he can detect even the slightest sign that things are not what they should be. With a quick sniff he declares a check legit or fraudulent. He has rejected designer jeans more than once after a mere whiff. He sees himself as a Sherlock Holmes. Most see him as a snootfool.
Etymology: snoot (a person*s nose) + fool (a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person) a play on snootful
Sniffixation
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: snif-fik-SEYT-shun
Sentence: Bob's sniffixation was becoming serious. If he couldn't identify each odor specifically, he would become smellancholy and full of fragranxiety. However, Roxie wasn't worried. After all Bob was of Greek background, and one of his ancestors was a fellow called Odorpus Reakes!
Etymology: Sniffixation: conflation of sniff: to investigate, percieve, or detect by or as if by sniffing; to smell & fixation: compulsive peoccupation with something. Cognates: Sniffixate, Sniffixatious.
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COMMENTS:
I think his ancestor was famous also for solving 'the riddle of the stinx' - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-29: 14:20:00
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Obscensitivity
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: Ob-sens-uh-TIV-uh-ty
Sentence: Ralph had a major case of obscentsitivity and would sniff everything, foods, personal grooming tools, and other inanimate objects with some kind of misguided notion that he could determine the safety or value of those things.
Etymology: Blend of obsessive, scent, and sensitivity.
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COMMENTS:
A triple whammy! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:09:00
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Whifficionado
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: \wif-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\
Sentence: Because Hector was a real whifficionado, anything that came near his face -- the phone, his sunglasses, even his girlfriend -- would get scrutinosed, and fragranalyzed. He had a total sniffixation.
Etymology: whiff - "a slight trace of odor or smell" (aspirated var. of Middle English, weffe) + aficionado - "enthusiast" (Spanish, aficion, -from Latin, affectionem)
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COMMENTS:
I sorry if I've stolen "sniffixation" from you. I was unaware that you used it in your sentence. I'm happy to withdraw it & ubstitute "fragranxiety". I'm a fan of whifficionado; it's a great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-29: 04:28:00
No problem. Great minds think alike -- apparently, so do we sometimes. ;) I though that your word 'smellancholy' was brilliant. - Tigger, 2007-11-29: 12:21:00
I think this captures the 'essence' of the definition. - kabloozie, 2007-11-29: 19:52:00
Excellent word. Very funny. - franke, 2007-11-30: 10:02:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Remistram also submitted definition about compulsive sniffing, so I have added her name to the credits for this definition. Thank you again to kabloozie and remistram. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James