sniglets
Coined humorous terms
Sniglets are invented words for things that have no official name—the phenomenon of a sock disappearing in the dryer, or the dancing you do to avoid someone in a hallway.
Coined by comedian Rich Hall in the 1980s, the term names a category of playful neologism: words that feel like they should exist.
There should be a sniglet for that thing where you wave back at someone who wasn't waving at you.
Newly created expression
- portmanteauWord combining two others
- coinageInvented term or currency
- wordsmithSkilled prose artisan
- punWordplay using double meanings
blend · invention · cleverness · humor · wit · linguistic · creative · mashup
Alphabetical word reference
- definitionStatement of meaning
- vocabularyOne's word collection
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
colloquialism · informal · vernacular · lexicon · terminology · unofficial · unrecognized · nomenclature
Premium cable network
- standupSolo comedic performance
- comedianProfessional humor performer
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- 1980sFourth-to-last twentieth-century decade
satirical · observational · television · comedic · pop culture · funny · entertainment · humorous
Not identified or specified
- phenomenonExtraordinary observable occurrence
- experiencePractical knowledge from life
- universalAffecting all equally
- relatableEasy to identify with
frustration · quirk · annoyance · familiar · mundane · common · recognizable · shared
neologism
Newly created expression
- portmanteauWord combining two others
- coinageInvented term or currency
- wordsmithSkilled prose artisan
pun · blend · invention · cleverness · humor · wit · linguistic · creative · mashup · playful
dictionary
Alphabetical word reference
- definitionStatement of meaning
- vocabularyOne's word collection
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
jargon · colloquialism · informal · vernacular · lexicon · terminology · unofficial · unrecognized · nomenclature · expression
HBO
Premium cable network
1980s · satirical · observational · television · comedic · pop culture · funny · entertainment · humorous · parody
unnamed
Not identified or specified
- phenomenonExtraordinary observable occurrence
- experiencePractical knowledge from life
- universalAffecting all equally
relatable · frustration · quirk · annoyance · familiar · mundane · common · recognizable · shared · oddity
snigletstechnical terms
Specialized words within fields
jargon · nomenclature · officialese · scientific terminology · legalese