New Words

The Washington Post's Style Invitational 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 some recent winners:

Intaxication Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

Foreploy Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

Giraffiti Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

Sarchasm The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

Inoculatte To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

Hipatitis Terminal coolness.

Osteopornosis A degenerate disease (this one got extra credit).

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.

Glibido All talk and no action.

Dopeler effect The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

And, the pick of the literature:

Ignoranus A person who's both stupid and an asshole

Contributed by Jesse Weinstein, CS 81, Spring 2007