Search us!

Search My Favorite Word. Results will open in a new window or tab.

 

 

 

 

And don't forget to visit

How Come?

for answers to the science questions you've always wondered about.

Ask a question, win a book!

 

 

 

Recent Comments

 

 

Lethologica

It refers to the state your mind is in when you have a word ‘on the tip of your tongue’ but can’t quite articulate yourself.I love this word because whoever came up with it must have known that it is quite a difficult word to remember, it’s kind of like putting an ‘S’ in the word lisp.

Ruan
South Africa

11 comments to Lethologica

  • Is this a medical condition that can be treated?

  • admin

    Funny you should ask. I have multiple sclerosis, which, in addition to its fairly well-known physical effects, actually often comes with a degree of cognitive impairment, usually including problems in “word finding.” Long story short, one of the most significant early indications of the disease in my case was my sudden inability to remember the composer Anton Bruckner’s name when I heard one of his symphonies on the radio. Drove me crazy for days. I knew I had several Bruckner CDs on my shelf, but I didn’t peek. It finally came to me after a week or so. Then I forgot Aaron Copeland’s name, but that didn’t bother me at all.

    As for drugs, the doctor prescribed Focalin, an amphetamine compound, but I don’t take it. It does make you sharper, but I can’t believe it’s good for you long-term, and I can’t afford any of the drugs they’ve prescribed anyway.

  • Bolinkendo

    It’s funny, beause I mailed this word,too, a couple of weeks ago! I really love it, but it never comes to my mind when I need it! xD

  • Melissa

    Ah hah…there is a word for it,“Lethologica”. It is the most FRUSTRATING side effect of brain surgery I had in 108. Sorry to hear about the MS.

  • James

    The Scottish have a verb “Tartle” for that momentarily forgetting the name of someone.

  • Mai

    It isn’t proper names for me, just random words that I lose. And unfortunately, it tends to happen right in the middle of a sentence while I’m speaking to people. If I leave off and think of something else it’ll come back to me within about a half hour or so, but at the moment it happens…
    I can think of almost every synonym and antonym imaginable, but the word I’ve lost is just gone. Very embarrassing.

    I never even knew there was a word for this. I’ve just always refered to it as the ‘word eating black hole’ in my head. Nice to know that I’m not alone.

  • Rachel

    Oh my gosh, I have been looking for this word my entire life! Not being able to find the word you are looking for is SO frustrating! I lose words in almost every other sentence! Now, though, I can just say this word and Voila! peace is restored to my brain!

  • Stephani

    ok this was very interesting… I love this word because I sometimes have a hard time trying to remember a word and I just hate that I can’t remember it.

  • Stephani

    ok so how do you find out if you do have lehtologica?

  • Tad

    It’s definitely the most ironic word I know, since I can never remember it when I need it.

  • june

    If you think of it as “lethal” “logic” the word comes to mind more easily because it really is lethal when you can’t remember a word – you almost feel like killing someone!!!

Leave a Reply

  

  

  

You can use these HTML tags

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>