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
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Wholefactory
Created by: badsnudge
Pronunciation: \hōl-'fak-t(ə-)rē\
Sentence: Ned's sense of wholefactory would not allow him to pick up the phone, or most anything else for that matter, without smelling it first.
Etymology: whole (of all) + olfactory (of or relating to sense of smell)
Aromamania
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: Aro-ma-may-nea
Sentence: Jerry was a compulsive aromamania. He could not resist the urge to sniff everything that he came across, he only agreed to get professional help when, one day he inadvertently sniffed his old trainers and made himself so ill that he had to take the day off work!
Etymology: Aroma(a distinctive smell) + Mania(obsessive enthusiasm) = Aromamania
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COMMENTS:
Aromamania...isn't that the annual smellfest held each year in New Mexico, where everybody brings vials of aromas to swap and sell? - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:08:00
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Whiffappropo
Created by: psi4got
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Janelle looked over to find Dave in a fit of whiffappropo with his phone. "Would you please stop doing that in public!" she said under her breath.
Etymology: To catch a whiff of an odor and breathe in sharply through the nose to identify the 'flavor.' Appropo comes from a deliberate twist of the French word apropos meaning appropriate and in this case does it smell proper at this time.
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)
Scentimental
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sent i men tal
Sentence: Jill hated when Harvey went into his scentimental mode and sniffed everything in sight and imagined the worst of all things he smelled.
Etymology: Scent (smell, aroma) & Mental (affected by a disorder of the mind) & Wordplay on Sentimental (effusively or insincerely emotional)
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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Overscentsative
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: Over-sents-ative
Sentence: Horacio often thought he could detect odors on things that no one else could. Objects which most people thought had no odor, he felt most compelled to pick up and smell, just to be sure. Perhaps he was just being overscentsative but he just couldn't stop trying to smell everything he picked up..... Wait, I think that smells pretty good, let me see.
Etymology: "Over" as in beyond some norm or limit + "Scents" or odors + "ative" suffix meaning of, relating to or connecting with.
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COMMENTS:
Like it! - TJayzz, 2008-10-27: 08:54:00
Excellent word! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-27: 20:13:00
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Snufflebored
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: snuf fel bord
Sentence: Having been dragged by his new wife on a touted cruise, Smell Gibson sniffed everything around him. His bride was embarrassed to find him sniffing cutlery (not just his own) at the dinner table and lifeboats, door handles, really all and everything else on the ship. When asked, he told her he was playing snufflebored. She didn't know whether it was boredom, a manic compulsion or that he had a germ detector built in his nose, but her groom's actions mortified her. It was a pity he had no life preserver to sniff when he mysteriously was thrown overboard on their last day at sea...
Etymology: Snuffle (sniff or smell inquiringly) & Bored (tired of the world;uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence) & Play on Shuffleboard (a game in which players use long sticks to shove wooden disks onto the scoring area marked on a smooth surface; less exertive form of exercise at retirement homes and seniors'cruises)
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COMMENTS:
cute! - mrskellyscl, 2010-03-24: 07:26:00
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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