15 made-up words
Sometimes I like to take a break from being a wordsmith of cryptic corporate speak and read about words and language.
Recently, I’ve been reading about made-up words, why they were created, and how they eventually make it into the dictionary.
Though I’ll never be able to use any of these words at work, here are some of my favorite fictional words:
1. Adminisphere – The level of management where far-reaching, unworkable, and counterproductive decisions are made.
The decision to move from Macs to PCs was made in the adminisphere.
2. Bellignorant – The state of being belligerent and ignorant at the same time.
I hope you’re not simply being bellignorant in your refusal to use the serial comma.
3. Confrazzled – The state of being confused and frazzled at the same time.
Your inability to write and meet a deadline has left me completely confrazzled.
4. Dissockipate – The inexplicable loss of a sock.
At least three or four socks dissockipate every time I do a load of laundry.
5. Eloquacious – Someone who is loquacious and eloquent at the same time.
Sam is particularly eloquacious in his ability to keep up both ends of the conversation.
6. Faux woe – Pretending that you’re busy and stressed out so you can keep up with over-achieving friends, relatives, or co-workers.
I don’t have time for you and your faux woes, Eric.
7. Hygienevangelist – A person who tries to clean your teeth and save your soul at the same time.
I was stuck in the chair with that hygienevangelist for 45 minutes today.
8. Jobfuscate – To arrange your work tasks so it appears that your job is so complicated no one can possibly understand what you do.
Dana may be inept in her work, but she is a master at jobfuscating.
9. Megatile – The area of the bathroom floor where the scale registers you to be five pounds heavier.
Move the scale off that megatile or you’ll be sorry.
10. Rebootilence – The seemingly endless amount of time you have to wait to reboot your computer.
During this morning’s rebootilence, I’ll be reading “War and Peace.”
11. Shnockered – To be absurdly drunk.
How is getting shnockered going to help you meet your deadline?
12. Stample – To accidentally step on something or someone smaller than you.
I didn’t mean to stample on your dog, but I didn’t see him behind the door.
13. Stresscalate — Passing on your stress to others.
The communications department is particularly prone to stresscalation.
14. Trilemma – A problem that has three possible solutions instead of two.
My son faced the trilemma of which Lord of the Rings movie to watch.
15. Unreoverlook – To forget something, remember it, and then forget it again.
I have unreoverlooked that book several times this week.
PR Daily readers, what are some of your favorite made-up words?
This article was first published on Ragan Communications PR Daily.
