Tuesday, March 9, 2010

beepilepsy

beepilepsy = beep(er) + epilepsy

Although there are a plethora of definitions for this portmanteau word, each subtly different from the last, I think the word began life as a description of the paroxysm that a person undergoes when his or her beeper goes off on vibrate mode.

Beepers are really a thing of the past; we need a new portmanteau word to describe one's reaction to a cell phone/smartphone/iPhone/Star Trek communicator vibrating unexpectedly.

Any suggestions?