Odd Word Invitational! This is not the The Washington Post’s Mensa Invitational…but its close. Very, Very Close! (rumor has it that The Washington Post’s Word Mensa is just an Urban legend -we exist-they don’t.)
Don’t you think words are fun? I am not fond of punctuation, grammar, or spelling, but I love words! In fact, just last night, as I glanced over Cole’s vocabulary words, I asked myself, “Self, when was the last time you used the word ‘furtive’ (sly, sneaky, shifty)?” It has been a long time.
Here is a big surprise for you. Are you ready? I did not enter The Washington Post’s Mensa Invitational, which invited readers to take any word from the dictionary; alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter; and supply a new definition. My invitation was late. Damn! The Post’s winning words are listed below. My favorite is “glibido”: all talk and no action.
Speaking of taking action, we will host our own contest because you are the oddest and smartest readers in the whole wide world. Odd is even international; we have one Australian reader (everyone say “Hi” to Antoinette).
The contest: Take any word from the dictionary; alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter; and supply a new definition. Then enter your word into the comment section of Odd.
Rascal will draw the winners randomly. She might cheat but I will watch her closely during the drawing, which will take place when Rascal is in the right mood.
Prizes will come from my Woot prize stash. First Place: A Kodak EasyShare CD82 Digital Camera (includes a USB cable, wrist strap, and user guide, and is a (Certified Refurbished Product). Second Prize: The world’s best umbrella; handles wind, ice, hail, snow, and sometimes rain. Third Prize: A flying slingshot monkey wearing a WOOT cape.
Update: 1/26th–I just came up with my word. Naturally I won’t enter my word in the contest because I deemed myself ineligible to win. You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything. Yes, Of-course, My word. My word is CRAPMITMENT! A CRAPMITMENT is something you said yes to when you really should have said no. You love my word! I knew it! Feel free to use any time.
Some of these words came from The Washington Post-Style Invitational, See the current Washington Post Invitational — every Sunday.
1. Cashtration: The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time
2. Ignoranus : A person who’s both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone : 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.
6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.
9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease.
11. Karmageddon : 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.
12. Decafalon: The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit : The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug : Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor : The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating.
Remember to add your WORD to the comment section of ODD--If you don’t enter-well you don’t enter but you won’t win either-Really.
On your mark. Get set. WORD!!!
Thanks for dropping by Odd!
Katybeth
Why didn’t I get a personal invite? Don’t think I am smart enough? Well I will just show you…I am going to come up with a fine Odd word and bribe the judge. 👿
Jim,
I am so sorry I am sure your invite must have been lost in the e-mail. Please forgive me. The judge is open to bribes…I’m sure you won’t need to bribe her, tho.
♥
LOL–I like “Giraffiti.” I will try to come up with a word but I’m not sure my mind twists in this direction. 8)
So many places to go with a “twisted mind” comment but I will refrain. Can’t wait for your word!
♥
I can not wait to use “sarchasm” on one of the women I work with it…it is the perfect word-she never gets it it.
This was fun. My husband is better at wordplay than I am… so I will ask him to do a little wordsmithing for me.
Thanks for sharing this.
Mandy
Sarchasm is a great word. Be sure to let us know how your office worker responds.
Thanks for dropping by Odd, Mandy!
♥
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Mingent- discharging of urine is changed to minigent. You can interpret this new word in only one way. 😯 This is a fun post Katybeth.
😀 Very good Kathy!
Glad you enjoy the post.
♥
I’ll work on a word, but since Rascal is picking the winner, I’m mailing mine in dabbed in eau de bacon.
Rascal is insulted. She can not be bribed and is a pillar of strong moral character…..she would however like to let you know–just as an FYI….she is partial to Jimmy Dean’s regular bacon or maple. Never spicy.
Oh, what a great idea! I’m thinking, I’m thinking. . . !
I’m hoping I can enter more than once.
Dontist – A person who doesn’t like to clean teeth.
Canone – A dog having only human characteristics
Lapsagna – any pasta based dish that goes straight to the hips
Manion – A male (boyfriend/husband/son) that does all of your bidding. A totally mythical figure.
Clever Carla! Very clever. Of-course you can enter more than once! You want the flying sling shot monkey–Don’t you!!
♥
Fun contest, Katybeth!
Here’s mine:
petriotism: A dedication to performing science experiments.
I NEED the umbrella, but I WANT the monkey!
Wendy
Well aren’t you the clever one Wendy! The monkey is pretty cool 😀
♥
eschewy – turning away from something because it is too sticky or dense to deal with.
scurrency – money that always somehow eludes you by scurrying away before you actually get it in your hand.
danghter – a female child that constantly frustrates you.
I love scurrency! It is such a visual word! I can just see that those bills scurrying out of reach!
Danghter?
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I was inspired…..How about Boybarians!
Okey dokey, here is my word. It was conceived from my love of all things cerebral and vulgar.
Cephaloanalectomy – to have one’s head surgically removed from one’s arse!
Good one Jen and so very descriptive!
Katybeth – I laughed so much reading your descriptions especially number 15. Having walked through a spider web yesterday, I am sure that I suffered from an Arachnoleptic Fit…….is it curable?
Oh Brenda I hope so! However, I am sure the memory does stick with you!
Thanks for stopping by Odd.
♥
bi-sacksual. Paper or Plastic it does not matter to me!
Mother. That is very funny!
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Love Bisacksual! I think we have a winner!
Carla…you could be right!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsGFH_Q7KMs
Great video Erika! Thank you! Who know maybe we can try a rap next?
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Dowagger – old dog who thinks she’s queen of the house
LOL–Very!Clever!
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Okay. Here goes:
Bituation: The state one may find themselves in for any number of reasons.
Diane
I find myself in this state often! Great word!
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Vivacancy. a really active dumb person
DA
Nice word! Everyone knows there is nothing worse than an active dumb person!
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Actually, there isn’t any “Mensa Invitational,” but The Washington Post does have a wonderfully clever humor contest called The Style Invitational. And two Invitational contests from 1998 are the sources of many of the neologisms in the list above. (But not all: For example, “decafalon” isn’t a one-letter change from “decathlon,” is it? Or “caterpallor”?)
See the the current Invitational — every week at washingtonpost.com/styleinvitational. We’ve had more than 600 contests since the ones above! The Style Invitational is published every Sunday in The Post’s Style (features) section, and every Friday afternoon at about 3:30 Eastern time. The contests encompass a wide variety of humor genres, from cartoon captions to song parodies, but there are neologism contests regularly as well.
In fact, our Jan. 23 contest is to move the first letter of a word to the end, and then define the new word. Examples: Ardiness — The feeling of being cramped in a small space. Elved: Dug a North Pole hole.
And here are some results for a recent contest for short notes from one famous person (or thing) to another:
Dear Leonardo: Your fly is open. – Sincerely, Mona Lisa (Chris Doyle, Ponder, Tex.)
Dear President Lincoln: Please note change to “87” for conciseness. – Sincerely, Copy Editor (Beverley Sharp, Washington)
Dear Rap: Who’s your agent? – Sincerely, Poetry
Dear Brain: Hope you enjoyed your nap. We were really busy while you were off duty! – Nether Parts (Beverley Sharp)
Dear Fast-Food Customer: Maybe I’m just insecure, but I just always want you to want me. – Cheese on That (Brendan Beary, Great Mills, Md.)
See the rest of the winners and learn how to enter the current contest at washingtonpost.com/style invitational. Or you can become a fan of “Washington Post Style” on Facebook and you’ll get a link to the Invitational when it’s posted. I hope you become a regular reader and maybe even a regular entrant.
Best, Pat Myers
The Empress of The Style Invitational
The Washington Post
Thank you Pat.
When I did a little searching and a little googling, I did not find the contest above attributed to the Washington Post but was not sure if the words at some point came from the Washington Post. Some of them are very clever 😀 even if they are not absolutely correct.
The Washington Post Sunday “current invitationals” sounds like fun and I am sure many of Odd’s clever wordsmith’s will stop by.
Thanks for dropping by Odd!
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How about Assholio! An ass who acts holier than thou! I may have heard it someplace but have made it mine!
I also came up with one many years ago while doing radio in response to Rush Limbaugh’s word “feminatzi” It was “Chauvenatzi” – a man who hates feminism and uses the word as an insult, which means he is against equal rights for women and hates strong women.
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