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August 16, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Scampaign (scam + campaign)

A "scampaign" (scam + campaign) is a campaign -- a political campaign or a campaign for a specific cause or business -- that contains fraud and can be called a "scam."…

May 15, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Scandalpalooza (scandal + lollapalooza)

"Scandalpalooza" (scandal + lollapalooza) is when a government has several scandals (sometimes called "-gates," after the Watergate scandal). The word "scandalpalooza"…

June 19, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Scaredemic (scare + pandemic)

"Scaredemic" (scare + pandemic) became a popular term during the 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, but it had appeared earlier. "Homespun Craft Show tomorrow, the Scaredemic will…

July 3, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Scariant (scare/scary + variant)

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic had variants, called by some as "scariant" (scare/scary + variant). "So many variants of scary. Scariants" was posted on Twitter by Cal…

September 1, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

SCOAMF (Stuttering Clusterfuck Of A Miserable Failure)

Several conservative and libertarian blogs (especially Ace of Spades HQ) began, in August 2011, to call President Barack Obama a "Stuttering Clusterfuck Of A Miserable Failure" (SCOAMF or…

July 31, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

SCOTUS (Supreme Court Of The United States)

"SCROTUS" is an acronym for the "Supreme Court Of The United States." The term was used by 19th century telegraphers and appears in the book The Phillips Telegraphic Code (1879)…

April 22, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

SCROTUS (So Called Ruler Of The United States)

The acronym "POTUS" stands for "President Of The United States." "SCROTUS" can mean "Supreme Court Republicans Of The United States." Some people who do not…

July 30, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

SCROTUS (Supreme Court Republicans Of The United States)

"SCOTUS" is an acronym for the "Supreme Court Of The United States." An extra letter"R" is often added, making it "SCROTUS," similar to the word…

December 28, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Seastead (sea + homestead); Seasteading

"Seasteading" (sea + homesteading) consists of establishing a permanent home (or "seastead") on the sea, outside of a nation's territory. The idea has appealed to…

June 4, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Secret Circus (Secret Service nickname)

The United States Secret Service has a U.S. Treasury function and is also responsible for protecting national leaders and their families. In April 2012, in advance of President Obama's…

May 25, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Secretary of Death (Secretary of Defense nickname)

The U.S. Secretary of Defense has infrequently been called the "Secretary of Death." "Ladd decided that the best way to reference the United States' Secretary of Defense was to…

August 9, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Securitocracy (security + -ocracy)

A "securitocracy" (security + -ocracy) is a government where security runs the state; government officials are "securitocrats." The term "securitocracy" has been cited…

August 1, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Security Mom

The name "security mom" was first used by Delaware Senator Joe Biden, cited in print since a least January 28, 2003. Biden had said that since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in…

May 30, 2008
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Seinfeld Session

When the Albany legislature appears to do nothing, legislators sometimes quote William Shakespeare and claim that the legislative session is all "much ado about nothing." The television…

February 22, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Sequesteria (sequester + hysteria)

"Sequesteria" (sequester + hysteria) is a term that was popularized by conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh in February 2013. Budget sequestration in the Budget Control Act of…

March 29, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Sequestrocalypse (sequester + apocalypse)

News reports frequently told of apocalyptic budget cuts resulting from the 2013 U.S. federal budget sequestration. Conservative blogs popularized the term "sequestrocalypse" (sequester +…

September 27, 2018
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Sexocrat (sex + bureaucrat)

A "sexocrat" (sex + -crat, as in bureaucrat) describes a politician who legislates sex rules for others to follow. "Sexocrats" and "sexocracy" have been cited in print…

October 12, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Shadow Government

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Shadow government (conspiracy)The shadow government (cryptocracy, secret government, or invisible government) is a family of conspiracy theories based on the…

June 18, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Shakedown (Shake Down)

"Shakedown" (or "shake down" or "shake-down") had several meanings in the 1800s, including "a riotous, boisterous dance" (1889) and "an improvised bed…

April 16, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

Shamdemic (sham + pandemic)

"Shamdemic" (sham + pandemic) has been used to describe a fake pandemic. "Shamdemic" was posted on the newsgroup misc.health.aids on September 9, 2004. The 2009 swine flu…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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