Neologisms

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emailed by my husband
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A neologism is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created
("coined") - often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-
existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more
contemporary. Neologisms are especially useful in identifying
inventions, new phenomena, or old ideas which have taken on a new
cultural context. The term e-mail, as used today, is an example of a
neologism. Neologisms are by definition "new", and as such are often
directly attributable to a specific individual, publication, period or
event. The term "neologism" was itself coined around 1800; so for some
time in the early 19th Century, the word "neologism" was itself a
neologism. Neologisms can also refer to an existing word or phrase
which has been assigned a new meaning.

Some previous Washington Post winners:

1. Coffee (n.) - the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.) - appalled over how much weight you have
gained.

3. Abdicate (v.) - to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.) - to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.) - impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.) - a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer
the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.) - to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.) - olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) - emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are
run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.) - a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.) - a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.) - the formal, dignified bearing adopted by
proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n) - a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.) - a person who sprinkles his conversation with
Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.) - the belief that, when you die, your Soul
flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.) - an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by
Jewish men.

The Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from
the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one
letter, and supply a new definition. Here are previous winners:

1. Bozone (n.) - The substance surrounding stupid people that stops
bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows
little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Cashtration (n.) - The act of buying a house, which renders the
subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

3. Giraffiti (n) - Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

4. Sarchasm (n) - The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and
the person who doesn't get it.

5. Inoculatte (v) - To take coffee intravenously when you are running
late.

6. Hipatitis (n) - Terminal coolness.

7. Osteopornosis (n) - A degenerate disease.

8. Karmageddon (n) - It's like, when everybody is sending off all
these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and
it's like, a serious bummer.

9. Decafalon (n.) - The grueling event of getting through the day
consuming only things that are good for you.

10. Glibido (v) - All talk and no action.

11. Dopeler effect (n) - The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter
when they come at you rapidly.

12. Arachnoleptic fit (n.) - The frantic dance performed just after
you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

13. Beelzebug (n.) - Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into
your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

14. Caterpallor (n.) - The color you turn after finding half a grub
in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

Ignoranus (n) - A person who's both stupid and an asshole.