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)
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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Nostrilissis
Created by: IrisLLL
Pronunciation: nostrilisis
Sentence: I went by a nice garden today, and my nostilissis has been acting up ever since.
Etymology: (holes in face)nostrils- issis ( alternarte spelling of the Egyption goddess)
Idensniffication
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: eye den sniff ick ay shun
Sentence: His method of idensniffication, combined with a certain shiftiness around the full moon, led to a certain disquiet among the more delicate inhabitants of the apartment block.
Etymology: identification, sniff
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COMMENTS:
very funny! - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-29: 14:21:00
Perhaps he's moonlighting as a "sniffer" dog! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-29: 16:32:00
Great word! - Mustang, 2007-11-29: 21:49:00
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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.
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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Urgescent
Created by: thegoatisbad
Pronunciation: 'erg-'sent
Sentence: Kimberly had no sense of smell, which served not only as another reason to hate Loretta, but also as cause to deeply distrust her. "It's too primal" Kimberly opined, "maybe if she were a rodent it wouldn't be as strange, but I don't trust anyone who operates like a rat." Meanwhile, in the background Loretta urgescently nosed her way through Kimberly's desk until she found Kimberly's stash of cheese.
Etymology: urge (compel earnestly) + scent (odor)
Kleptaromatist
Created by: MichaelCampbellUK
Pronunciation: klep - ta - rome - a - tist
Sentence: Kevin was a confirmed kleptaromatist, compelled to plunder new scents uncontrollably.
Etymology: Kleptomaniac + aromatist
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COMMENTS:
I like it! - Tigger, 2007-12-03: 21:27:00
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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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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