OK folks, here is the list of daffynitions for the word 'polyphloisboian.' I've decided to do this as a poll. Hopefully it will work.

Note: I edited the earlier version of this poll as some text from the first (possibly correct) option had been cut off, and also to accommodate another entry. My apologies to the three people who already voted - please vote again for your choices. Sorry for the confusion.

Question:
Please pick what you think is the correct daffynition.

Choices:
Early-1920’s ad copy term for Elizabeth Arden's “Venetian Cream Amoretto”. Describes the product’s fluffy texture and ’buoyant’ effects in scientific jargon, the concocted word includes elements of “Arden”’s first name (Florence) and her chemist Fabian's
Capable of being ignited by multiple means, used of certain classes of canon and heavy artillery.
A multi-faceted ingeous rock, similar to basalt.
Insect species whose abdomens provide for multiple egg-sacs
Having the form of multifaceted crystalline structures.
A supposed isomer of phlogiston, from the obsolete theory of elements propounded by Johann Joachim Becher.
A synonym for bloviation.
Calcium ion dependent contraction of the saponoside escin of venous tissue.
One who frequently sets fires.
Making a lot of noise or loud racket

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Metic,

Hey, folks, don't forget to vote! When we find out the real definition, we can come out of disguise and see who guessed right, and who had winning daffynitions.

You write above, "Please pick what you think is the correct daffynition." If it's the correct one, it's not a daffynition!

Good point Geoff! I guess in that case it would be called a paradox.

OK, so six people have voted so far.
No one seems to think that polyphloisboian is an insect, a rock, a calcium ion, a fire setter, a noise, or ad-copy.
Is it possible that the ones who have voted are completely off-base?
Or did one of the nail the answer?
Anyone want to comment on why they chose what they did? What if you are wrong?

Egad!!! I've forgotten which one I guessed! I really don't know!

I chose multifaceted crystalline structures because...

I thought #1 was just too long;
#2 was intriguing, but "certain classes?" Nah.
"ingeous" rock? "basalt?" I had to say no on #3.
Didn't sound like an insect to me.
Phlogiston is just too antiquated.
It's not going to be as common as "bloviation."
Not a calcium ion (at least from my chemistry class)
Sets fires? It's not a person.
"Poly" is a lot, not noisy.

It had to be a multifaceted crystalline structure...and, yet, the more I analyze, the more I realize there are two "multifaceteds" and a "multiple." That does not bode well for my choice!

I have/had absolutely no idea. No 1 was about the only one I rejected outright, although a couple of others were also highly unlikely in my view. In the end I picked one at random.

This reveals a problem with using a poll instead of doing it the old way. As stated above, I don't know what I voted for! I know which ones I wrote (three of them) but beyond that I'm lost!

Well, it's always nice to try new ways, though. If you recall, it took us some time to get to the polls in the limerick game, and people (I was one) were quite pessimistic about it. Yet, it has turned out to be great. Maybe we need a process.

What's the correct one? And who wrote them?

How about publishing the results, Metic?

Yes, I am about to look!

OK, here are the submissions and the names of the person who submitted each entry:

bethtree5: Term found in early-1920’s ad copy for Elizabeth Arden's “Venetian Cream Amoretto”. Meant to describe the product’s fluffy texture and ’buoyant’ effects in scientific jargon, the concocted word includes elements of “Arden”’s first name (Florence) and that of her chemist (Fabian).

bethree5: insect species whose abdomens provide for multiple egg-sacs are said to be polyphloisboian

BobHale: Capable of being ignited by multiple means, used of certain classes of canon and heavy artillery.

Proofreader: Having the form of multifaceted chrystalline structures.

Richard English: A multi-faceted ingeous rock, similar to basalt.

Geoff 1: A supposed isomer of phlogiston, from the obsolete theory of elements propounded by Johann Joachim Becher.

Geoff 2: Calcium ion dependent contraction of the saponoside escin of venous tissue.

Geoff 3: A synonym for bloviation

Kalleh: One who frequently sets fires

Which, by elimination would mean that Polyphloisboian means:

making a lot of noise or loud racket.

http://www.encyclo.co.uk/define/polyphloisboian

Thanks for your participation!

Now can one of you use this word in a sentence, or in a limerick?

Well done, Metic, you fooled everybody! Geoff's third daffynition comes close to the real meaning, though.

Thank you, metic, for adding something new to my list of descriptives for enthusiastic nursery-age students:
1. obstreperous
2. cacophonous
3. polyphloisboian!

Wow, a 100% fool rate! Good going!

The quiet at home I'm enjoyin'.
No screamin' and loud kids annoyin'.
I was losing my poise
At their infernal noise
It's been labelled as polyphloisboian.

Sorry. It's the best I could do. Assuming the PG is "POL-ee-floss-BOY-in

Great job, Metic!

Who is next?

Nice one Proofreader!