Make Up Your Own Word

Create a new word based on a famous person's name (real or fictional). The name should make everyone think of the meaning of your word.

For example, the Australian Consise Oxford Dictionary (1988) lists

quisling = 'person cooperating with an enemy who has occupied his country; traitor'

Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945) was a Norwegian army officer, diplomat and politician who was the 'puppet' Prime Minister of Norway for the Nazies when they occupied Norway in the Second World War. He was executed at the end of the war.

Quixote = 'enthusiastic visionary, pursuer of lofty but impractical ideas...'

Don Quixote was the hero of a novel by Cervantes (1547-1616). Here's two of mine

wallis = 'someone for whom another person gives up something valuable'

Wallis Simpson (1896-1986) was a divorced American woman for who Edward VIII abdicated the British Crown to marry.

beethoven = 'a creator of something that he or she can never experience'

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) became deaf in 1802 but continued composing - writing some of the greatest masterpieces of Westerm music. I look forward to seeing your words with your definition and information about the famous person.

WORDS BASED ON FAMOUS NAMES - click here for other examples

Richard Richwrite

Submitted by Wild Kid Nick

What were his parents thinking when they christianed little Richard ?

RUBY

Submitted by Caleb Wells

Ruby (Roo-bi) V.
1. To assassinate an assassin
Rubier, rubying, rubied

after Jack Ruby, the barman who shot Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kennedy's (alleged) assassin dead before he could be brought to trial

Titan

Submitted by Caleb Wells

TITAN (adj):
1. Large, Gargantuan (obviously)
2. Relating to the Ancient Greek Titans
3. ANTI-SEMITIC. After the massive Arch of Titus at the Collosseum end of the Roman Forum, commemorating a defeat and brutal sacking of Jerusalem. You're not allowed to walk underneath it now, because it offends Jews, but they can't just tear it down either. Which brings me to definition No. 4.
4 PROBLEMATIC

-Caleb "Constantine Awesome" Wells
--Then Ares strode out, with shield and spear,
--A mighty warrior to strike fear into our hearts.
--But we just shot him, just like in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
--And all the rest fled.

Oh...

Submitted by Caleb Wells

And in your link leading to your list, you include Luger. In that case, you should have
Lee Enfield
Kalashnikov
Mauser
Owen
Sten
Beretta
Colt
Remington
Smith & Wesson
Heckler & Koch

and many more
-Caleb "Lee Enfield" Wells
--Then Ares strode out, with shield and spear,
--A mighty warrior to strike fear into our hearts.
--But we just shot him, just like in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
--And all the rest fled.

I guess its like teeth

Submitted by Wild Kid Nick

rotten ones anyway

to Adam888

Submitted by Wild Kid Nick

Thanks for your positive comments. I would be interested to read about some of the things you have done with your students to foster their interest in famous people and their contribution to our culture, or to other cultures